Crouch comes off the bench, shakes off rumours of a return move to Portsmouth and keeps Rafa’s feet under the desk at Liverpool. Here’s my notes on last night’s events at Anfield.
Four consecutive draws have left Liverpool lagging behind the leaders and left the door ajar for teams like Villa and Everton to threaten for their Champions League spot. Once again they were the better side for long periods but an inspired substitution proved enough to swing the game Villa’s way, leaving it to Crouch to rescure a point with a late goal.
Rafa brought Kewell back on the left dropping Babel to the bench. Benayoun came in for Pennant on the right of midfield, while Mascherano was handed a central role for Alonso who was benched. Aurellio started at left-back with Arbeloa once again on the right. Kuyt was restored up front with Torres. Skrtel made his debut as a second-half sub for Arbeloa – not that Liverpool defenders will interest many right now.
It’s just one clean sheet in the last eight Premiership games for the Liverpool defence – clearly the likes of Arbeloa and Carragher just aren’t offer the value right now with the free scoring alternatives – Lescott, Laursen and even Wheater offering a similar or greater points potential for similar or less of an outlay. Chelsea and United then, continue to dominate the clean sheet situation. It could take Agger’s return to change that – there’s still no definite date on that after the Dane suffered further complications with his foot injury.
In attacking terms Gerrard has now gone four consecutive Premiership games without a goal or an assist – despite a hat-trick in the FA Cup, this will be a growing concern of his fantasy managers. Given Liverpool’s forthcoming games however, he’s likely to remain on the fantasy radar along with Torres. Kuyt struggled in this game despite setting up Benayoun for the opening goal. Crouch seems likely to get a start against Havant and Waterlooville at the weekend. If he takes that opportunity, he could be set for a run of starts.
It’s West Ham away and Sunderland at home for Liverpool next – both promise goals and Rafa seems unlikely to rotate heavily for them. That will be more of an issue once the Champions League kicks in once again when Liverpool face Inter on February 19 and March 11. Those games are pretty certain to influence Rafa’s lineup (if he’s still at the club) for home games with Boro and Newcastle.
O’Neil could not select Carson against the club owning his contract so Taylor started in goal. Barry failed to overcome the pelvic injury he’d suffered against Reading to lineup so Gardner started in midfield. Elsewhere they were unchanged.
It was substitute Marlon Harewood who made the difference here, enlivening the Villa attack and scoring an acrobatic equaliser from a Laursen knock-down that was swiftly followed by the Aurellio deflection on Mellberg’s effort to give them a cheeky lead.
O’Neill’s are averaging just over 2 goals per game away from home, an incredible record they maintained here. They are back at Villa Park next, before visiting Fulham and then hosting Newcastle. That’s a pretty decent run of fixtures that should bring more goals. They may well have Barry back for the weekend while the usual suspects – Laursen, Agbonlahor, Carew and Young are all worth a look during the next month. Bear in mind however, that Young will face a ban after the weekend’s game having picked up his fifth booking here.
Injuries and Suspensions
Mascherano picked up his fifth booking and will miss the West Ham game on January 30.
Villa’s Young also moved onto five bookings here and will sit out the Fulham game in early February.