Liverpool 1-0 Reading
Premier League; Saturday, 20th October 2012
17 year old Raheem Sterling scored his first goal for the club to give Liverpool their first home win in the Premier League this season.
Goalkeeper Brad Jones, deputising for the injured Pepe Reina and making his first Premier League start for the club, kept a clean sheet and performed admirably, making a crucial save in the second half.
Liverpool dominated proceedings and it should have been much more comfortable than it was, with Reading creating chances later on as Liverpool once again failed to make their dominance pay.
Luis Suarez was both exceptional and exceptionally frustrating, creating several chances, but recording just one shot on target from ten taken.
Glen Johnson put a good display from left back, combining well with Sterling.
There was a major scare as Suarez looked to have picked up a knock and was late emerging at half time and not moving freely. It emerged after that he, thankfully, only had a deadleg. Once again the Uruguayan was given little protection from the referee. There was a standing ovation from the whole stadium as a free-kick was finally awarded towards the end of the first-half.
Sub Jonjo Shelvey had a clear cut chance, set up by a brilliant ball from Suarez, as chances to put the game away came and went time and again. Suarez hit wide, fluffed his lines and blazed over within minutes of another.
Andre Wisdom was excellent again at right back.
The win takes Liverpool up to eleventh, five points behind fourth placed Everton – who they face in the Merseyside derby next Sunday.
[sws_blockquote_endquote align=”right” cite=”Brendan Rodgers” quotestyle=”style02″] “It’s brilliant for the players but we thoroughly deserved it. I thought in the first half we were particularly very good. In the last 20 minutes maybe we needed to manage the game better. It’s a great day for the players and fans.” [/sws_blockquote_endquote]
Liverpool: Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Allen, Sahin (Shelvey 63), Gerrard; Suso (Enrique 74), Sterling (Henderson 84), Suarez.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Downing, Assaidi, Carragher.
Reading: McCarthy; Cummings, Shorey, Gorkss, Mariappa; Karacan (McCleary 25), Leigertwood, Kebe, McAnuff; Guthrie (Roberts 81); Pogrebnyak (Le Fondre 74).
Subs not used: Taylor, Gunter, Pearce, Robson-Kanu.
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