Liverpool have gone top of the Premier League after goals from Xabi Alonso (2), Ryan Babel, Fernando Torres (2) and Andriy Voronin gave them an emphatic 6-0 win over Derby County at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds maintained their unbeaten start to the season and went top ahead of Sunday's games after a devastating performance that saw Alonso and Torres score twice, Babel score his first for the club and Voronin score for the second consecutive Premier League game.
Derby came to Anfield still trying to find their feet back in the top flight after winning just one point from their opening four games. The Reds on the other hand had the summit of the Premier League in their sights after an excellent start to the season that has seen them claim seven out of nine points available.
Rafael Benitez made five changes to the side that secured qualification for the Champions League group stages with victory over Toulouse on Tuesday. That meant a return to the starting eleven for Fernando Torres, the hero on his last Anfield appearance against Chelsea, as well as Xabi Alonso, Jermaine Pennant, Steve Finnan and Ryan Babel.
Derby got us underway and made a positive start when Mears shot over into the Kop, but Liverpool quickly got on the front foot and it took a fine save from Bywater to stop Daniel Agger's 25 yard strike finding the bottom corner.
The Reds came close in the 8th minute when Pennant's cross found the head of Torres and Bywater had to make a flying save, but Billy Davies' side were adopting a positive approach in the early stages and it took a timely interception from Daniel Agger to stop Stephen Pearson's marauding run into the penalty area.
Liverpool were being frustrated and Derby were restricting them to long range shots. Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano both went close with efforts from distance, but it was clear that the Reds needed a kick start and they got it in somewhat bizarre circumstances when Alonso gave them the lead in the 26th minute.
It came after a foul on Arbeloa gave them a free kick midway inside Derby's half and Alonso whipped in a curling free kick that beat everyone, including Bywater, and hit the back of the net. It was just the break that Liverpool needed and they would go in 2-0 up at the break after Ryan Babel's first goal for the club capped a period of dominance on the stroke of half time.
The all important second coming when Arbeloa found Babel on the edge of the penalty area and he dummied two Derby defenders before finishing emphatically high into the net.
Liverpool come out for the second half and went straight at Derby. They should have gone 3-0 up almost straight away when good play between Arbeloa, Torres and Kuyt gave Alonso a chance that he lifted over.
But they did go 3-0 in the 56th minute and it was another fine goal from Fernando Torres. Torres sending Anfield into raptures as he beat his marker before finishing coolly with his left foot from 12 yards.
The Reds were now absolutely dominant and Derby were finding it impossible to live with their immense attacking threat. Liverpool added a fourth through Alonso in the 69th minute before Voronin came off the bench to score the fifth in the 76th minute after Bywater had only been able to parry Kuyt's shot into his path.
The final word belonged to Man of the Match Fernando Torres because he scored his second goal and Red's sixth goal in the 77th minute to cap a brilliant Liverpool performance.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia (captain), Agger, Finnan, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, Pennant, Torres, Kuyt. Subs - Riise, Itandje, Voronin, Sissoko, Benayoun
Derby County: Bywater, Fagan, Todd, Davis, Griffin, Pearson, Camara, Oakley (captain), Malcolm, Howard, Mears. Subs - Price, McEveley, Moore, Teale, Earnshaw
Referee: A Wiley
Conditions: Dry
Attendance: Unknown
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres
Breakdown
14:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Derby kick off attacking the Kop in the first half
2 mins : Derby attack well down the right before Mears cuts in on his left foot and drives a long range effort over the goal
4 mins : Agger charges forward and drives a low shot towards goal which is deflected before being saved by Bywater for a corner
7 mins : Pearson gets in behind the Liverpool defence but his attempted pass across goal is well cut out by Agger
8 mins : Pennant's cross from the right finds the head of Torres but Bywater makes a good stop from the Spanish striker's effort
13 mins : Alonso fires tamely wide after Bywater miskicks the ball from his own goal
15 mins : Agger slides the ball into Kuyt's path and the Dutchman sends a shot arrowing just wide of the far post. Good effort
19 mins : Foul on Arbeloa but the ref plays a good advantage and Mascheranon fires the loose ball wide
26 mins : GOAL! Xabi Alonso: Alonso's free kick evades everyone and lands in the back of the net. Just what we needed
33 mins : Pennant skips past his marker down the left and crosses for Kuyt who sends a header wide of the target
36 mins : The same players combine again as Pennant delivers into the area and Kuyt sends a volley well over the goal. Good move
41 mins : Brilliant control from Torres in the area to bring the ball under control but then he blazes a shot wildly off target under pressure
45 mins : GOAL! Ryan Babel: Arbeloa slides the ball into Babel's path and the Dutchman finishes in style
14:47 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:04 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool get the second period underway
46 mins : A sitter missed by Alonso as he scoops the ball over after great play from Pennant and Arbeloa
51 mins : Free kick for Derby in dangerous area wide on the right
55 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Classy finish from Torres as he finds space in the box and slides the ball into the corner for his first Kop end goal
56 mins : Another chance for Torres but he fires a difficult chance wide from a tight angle
58 mins : Substitution: Gary Teale for Robert Malcolm:
60 mins : Substitution: Yossi Benayoun for Jermaine Pennant:
62 mins : Hyypia slips but Agger is there to clear the danger before Derby can threaten the goal
63 mins : Substitution: James McEveley for Mohammed Camara:
65 mins : First Booking: Andy Griffin:
69 mins : GOAL! Xabi Alonso: Alonso grabs his second with a well placed shot into the far corner after more inventive attacking play
73 mins : Substitution: Andriy Voronin for Ryan Babel:
76 mins : GOAL! Andriy Voronin: The substitute Voronin taps home after Kuyt's shot had been saved
76 mins : Substitution: Momo Sissoko for Javier Mascherano:
77 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Torres adds a sixth after rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into the empty net
80 mins : Substitution: Darren Moore for Andy Griffin:
15:52 GMT : Match Over |
發表於 2007-9-2 01:20 AM
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