Liverpool’s thoughts appeared to be on their eagerly-anticipated Champions’ League semifinal with Chelsea as they ground out a tedious goalless draw with Manchester City at Eastlands on Saturday.
In front of the biggest crowd at this stadium this season, 45 883, City stretched their run of play without a goal to nine hours and 20 minutes at home, a depressing statistic that said much about the lack of their ability to break down stubborn opposition.
City’s American winger DaMarcus Beasley struck the cross-bar after displaying what was a rare piece of skill with his intricate footwork carving a 74th minute opening, and Xabi Alonso almost managed to chip Andreas Isaksson with a chip from five yards inside the Liverpool half. But they were rare moments of interest from a forgettable encounter.
Rafa Benitez’s team entered the game with a four-point cushion over Arsenal in the chase for third place in the Premiership, a lead that was halved by the end of the afternoon, and, with City now safe from relegation concerns following an impressive recent run, there was a real end of season feel to proceedings.
The game might have been radically different had Jermaine Pennant succeeded in beating Isaksson in the fifth minute, the City keeper blocking the winger’s close-range effort well in an incident that had Benitez appealing that Michael Ball had impeded his man.
But, before long, it settled down into an afternoon of rank mediocrity, punctuated only by the odd flash of inspiration from the likes of Steven Gerrard and Darius Vassell, enjoying a resurgent end to a season badly interrupted by injury.
Vassell’s tenth minute cross created City’s first chance as Emile Mpenza connected with a glancing header that flew just beyond Liverpool’s far post and, after Alonso’s audacious attempt to beat Isaksson ended with the ball flying just over the City bar,
Beasley’s volley from a half-cleared City corner from the edge of the area was another rare opportunity.
The half ended with Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher demonstrating why goals from him are such a collector’s item, blazing a shot into the side-netting after Pennant’s cross had flown tantalisingly across the City goal line without players from either side making a connection.
Hopes of an improved second half effort from either team did not last long. Gerrard headed over a Steve Finnan free kick, then presented Isaksson with a comfortable catch with a rare on-target effort. John Arne Riise also chanced his arm from long range with a strike that did not miss the City goal by much.
Yet these were rare noteworthy moments to punctuate the mediocrity. Alonso and Finnan, for Liverpool, and Joey Barton, for a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Gerrard, were all cautioned in quick succession midway through the second period but, given the general tone of the afternoon, even that flurry of activity did
nothing to raise the on-field temperature. – Sapa-AFP