Liverpool powered to victory with a 3 goal haul in 6 first half minutes in an enormously improved performance.
With 7 attack minded players on the pitch, the reds made easy work of relegation threatened Portsmouth and gained some ground on Tottenham’s goal difference.
Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva made way for Alberto Aquilani and Maxi Rodriguez who returned to the side after being cup-tied in the Europa League.
Liverpool dominated the game from start to finish and the only blemish was a late goal conceded.
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Most of Liverpool’s fine football early on was coming from the boots of Rodriguez and Aquilani, but it was Gerrard who chased down a seemingly lost cause only for Pompey’s keeper to be dispossessed by the incoming Gerrard. The ball ricocheted to Rodriguez who cooly played Torres in to fire home in front of the Kop.
Within two minutes Torres was involved again – this time setting up Ryan Babel to double the reds advantage.
Four minutes later and the reds had made it 6. Alberto Aquilani capping a fine first half display with a well worked goal, with both Torres and Gerrard involved.
The first half could have seen many more goals. The reds had three excellent penalty shouts turned down (two for handball) and Torres hit the inside of the post, Aquilani put a shot narrowly wide – not to mention a couple of efforts narrowly over the bar.
In the second half the reds continued to play football back to their best – and in the 77th minute Torres added a second to seal the game.
The only disappointment came two minutes from full time when a cross wasn’t dealt with by Insua at the far post, the cross was allowed to slide through the 6 yard box and Belhadj dented a potential clean sheet.
The reds have two big games coming up in the next 5 and half games. Tonight was an improvement on last week, and large swathes of the season so far.
Our Man of the Match: Alberto Aquilani
Post Match Comments
Rafa Benitez
“I think it was a good game. We were trying to play well for the fans and score goals. It was an important game in an important week, so we are really pleased.
“It was really good for him (Aquilani) and for the team and he will have more confidence.
“We have seen a lot of players playing well tonight and that is good for me because I will have more problems and more of a (selection) headache.
“I think his performance shows he has quality, and we knew this before. Again I will say, there were some players playing really well tonight, and Aquilani was one of them.”
Looked much better without Lucas and Kuyt in the team!.No need for the Brazilian when Masch is capable of doing the job whilst Kuyt should only play up forward or nowhere,he’s no winger!
Aquilani looked good but he’ll still need to impress against better opposition and remain injury free.
Only Portsmouth but much much better, pleased for Aquilani, for gods sake Rafa give him a few games in a row, hope his fit for tonight,
a better form from aquilani. with all due respect to Raf, he has put his fate in lucas which is not helping l’pool. it’s really true Nino we need some quality players to beef up our squad.My hope is that this winning way continue for a long period of time both in the league and europa.
What a difference putting an attacking lineout has to the score eh ?
It’s not just the fact that the lads actualy played well for a change and gerrard actually put in a shift but when you include an attacking midfielder in Aqualani and Babel with mash gerro and maxi we actually have an attacking team that wants to go forward !!! Who’dd have thought eh rafa ?
Oh and can gerrard stop acting like a big kid and more like our captain ! Weve got a euro game and the scum on sunday and he’s trying to elbow a nobody just cus he tussled him to the ground ? Wheres the logic fella
Congrats, its actually a relief, for the reds to start winning. Hope the momentum will continue and we will again show the same commitments and passions against lille and M.U. In this part of the world (south east asia) a little bit of creativity and entertainment is always welcome. as the game is shown at the wee hours of the morning. Aquilani and Torres can provide that. Rafa must take some risk and play entertaining game as that is how the game should be played. We should do our best to win with style and make liverpool as entertaining as it should be. All the top three teams play to certain extent entertaining game and we should never allow people to call us “boring liverpool”.
To add to my above comment,kyrgiakos should have partnerd agger in defence as i feel carra needs alittl rest&also when kyrgiakos plays lfc defence looks much more stronger.Then to comment on what torres said before last nights game,that lfc needs 4or5 quality players to challenge for all competitions,i totally agree,we need a striker that wil compliment torres&i think bojan is a great player who would do jus that,we need a quality left winger,joe cole would be a good buy,a better left back than what we have,bale is geting his form back&stil young,got skill&pace,we need a better replacemnt gk,coz if reina gets injured cavalieri is way below standard for a number2
I think from last nights performance,its quite evident that with aquilani&mascherano in central midfield lfc are a totally different team with different dimension,coz thats what aquilani adds to the team.Once he is back to his top form i think he wil be regarded as a better player than alonso&he has shown glimpses of what he can do.Im sorry to say this but lucas is a very defensive-minded midfielder&is very careless when in possession&should be warming the bench¬ aquilani.Another point is when aquilani starts in midfield it frees stevie g,coz his passing very accurate&stevie g doesnt have to come deep to collect the ball as is the case when lucas plays.
Did i really witness liverpool lining up without lucas starting?
Is it strange that they played a hell of a lot better without him?
Easy answer – GET RID OF HIM !
if we had good owners they would see they now should add more top prize assets to the squad;
just think if we could jusr bring in a top class left back, one with pace and more power; but just think;
reina
johnson carragher agger cissoko
mascherano aquilani gerrard turan
d. villa torres
this is the sort of result liverpool fans have been waiting for for some time. aqualina in stunning form more or less a clone of alonso. torres back to his predatory best.well it was portsmouth but it can be a condidence builder against man utd well done reds