37. Spieltag

[Pinturicchio]

Sa 08.05.04

13:30

Manchester United - FC Chelsea 1:1 (0:1)

18' 0-1 Jesper Gronkjaer

41' Elfer nicht verwandelt Van Nistelrooy

77' 1-1 Ruud van Nistelrooy

16:00

FC Everton - Bolton Wanderers 1:2 (0:1)

15' 0-1 Youri Djorkaeff

68' 1-1 Duncan Ferguson

87' 1-2 Youri Djorkaeff

Leeds United - Charlton Athletic 3:3 (2:1)

8' 0-1 Matt Holland

29' 1-1 Matthew Kilgallon

41' 2-1 Jermaine Pennant

71' 3-1 Alan Smith

76' Elfmeter 3-2 Jason Euell

79' 3-3 Jason Euell

Leicester City - FC Portsmouth 3:1 (2:0)

6' 1-0 Eigentor Matthew Taylor

27' 2-0 Paul Dickov

66' 2-1 Nigel Quashie

71' 3-1 James Scowcroft

Tottenham Hotspur - Blackburn Rovers 1:0 (1:0)

18' 1-0 Jermain Defoe

FC Middlesbrough - Manchester City 2:1 (2:1)

8' 1-0 Massimo Maccarone

32' 2-0 Szilard Nemeth

35' 2-1 Paulo Wanchope

18:35

kurz vor Schluss

Birmingham City - FC Liverpool 0:2 (0:1)

0:1 Michael Owen (29.)

0:2 Emile Heskey (51.)

So 09.05.04

16:00 Newcastle United - Wolverhampton Wanderers

17:05 FC Fulham - FC Arsenal

[ianrush]

REDS SECURE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON

Paul Rogers 08 May 2004 

liverpoolfc.tv

 

Liverpool finally secured a place in Europe this evening at St Andrews thanks to Michael Owen's 18th goal of the season and an absolute cracking strike from Emile Heskey and an equally class strike from Steven Gerrard. 

We'll still have to wait until at least Wednesday to find out whether we'll even need to take up the UEFA Cup spot we claimed in the Midlands with a comfortable 3-nil win though.

 

Aston Villa's 1-1 draw at Southampton earlier today means that they're now 4 points behind the Reds with just three points left to play for.

 

With Newcastle still to face Wolves and Southampton before arriving at Anfield on Saturday, Champions League qualification could even be secured as early as Wednesday night if the Magpies take anything less than four points from their games in hand.

 

Liverpool clinched their third win in a row thanks to some sublime pass and move football that hinted at better things to come next season. Owen might have started the ball rolling with a great finish inside the box that gave Ian Bennett no chance after 28 minutes but it was Emile Heskey who did more than most to tear Steve Bruce's side apart.

 

The Liverpool No.8 is Birmingham bound in the summer if you believe what you read in the newspapers and if this was his attempt to impress the man who admitted he's certainly interested in the England international, he did all the right things.

 

After creating the opening goal with a brilliant touch and pass to carve open the Birmingham defence for Owen to pounce, Heskey turned goalscorer to crash home a brilliant left-footed strike from close range after great running from the captain, Steven Gerrard.

 

All over the pitch, Liverpool's players rose to the occasion when it really mattered. Jamie Carragher was excellent as a makeshift centre-half in place of the injured Stephane Henchoz, Sami Hyypia was back to usual best and could even have scored in the first-half when he struck a rocket of a shot just over Bennet's bar and John Arne Riise and Steve Finnan couldn't be faulted for effort.

 

The midfield, led as always by the non-stop Gerrard, marshalled the defence and supported the strikers which meant we had more clear-cut opportunities than in many games this season.

 

Our third goal, Gerrard's 6th of the season, came after 86 minutes and was the icing on the cake on a great day for Liverpool Football Club.

 

The score line might even have been bigger had the Birmingham captain not hacked down Gerrard when the captain was running clean through on goal. The deliberate foul after 68 minutes might have earnt the defender an automatic dismissal but it also cost the visitors what should have been a fourth goal.

 

Still, Gerard Houllier won't be complaining.

 

If you'd have asked him this morning if he'd accept heading back to Liverpool tonight with Villa out of the race for fourth, a Reds win and our goal-difference over Newcastle being boosted by a further three goals, he'd probably have said, Oui.

Shalalalalala

Sollte Morgen Newcastle Punkte gegen die Wolves abgeben wäre heute wohl die Vorentscheidung gefallen.

Schade is es um Leeds, die jetzt fix in der First Division sein dürften. Aber wenn man, so wie heute, eine 3-1 Führung aus der Hand gibt. hat es wohl auch nicht anders verdient.

bearbeitet 8. Mai 2004 von ianrush