English Premier League: Full time report – Liverpool holds rampant Birmingham for 0-0 draw
Birmingham were looking to take on Liverpool in what was the only game to be played on the 'Super Sunday'
Both the teams were out there to prove a point. Liverpool were looking to prove that they were no longer the team that was falling from grace, but instead they were now back to their best. Where as Birmingham were looking to make a mark on the Premier League and prove that they were now ready to roll with the big boys in the League.
Paul Konchesky was handed his debut for Liverpool, however Alex Hleb was not available to play for Birmingham as he was out due to an injury.
Raul Meireles was handed a spot on the bench, despite it being assumed that the midfielder would also be given a debut in the starting line up.
Fernando Torres was starting for the team but going into the game Roy Hodgson was reported to have said, "I think Torres can probably play three games in seven days - he is as capable as anyone else - but if you can spare your players you want to do that. Torres is nothing special in that respect. The thing about him is that he went to the World Cup with an injury, played without being fully fit and we are anxious to make sure that in this season he will be fully fit."
It was going to be interesting to see if the player would last the full ninety minutes.
The match got underway with both teams looking to go at it from the very first minute. However as the match unfolded it was Birmingham who looked to be on top of things.
Liverpool had the first real chance of the match; however Fernando Torres scuffed his shot wide and failed to register the first goal of the game. From then on it was all Birmingham.
Birmingham had around four to five decent chances to score. However Pepe Reina was there to prevent the home team from taking the lead. The keeper managed to make up for his midweek blunders with Spain and was looking stronger then ever.
The half ended with a chance for Birmingham. Liverpool looked to be far weaker in the opening forty five minutes and during the half time break Roy Hodgson would have had a lot of work on his second half plan.
The second half kicked of in similar manner as the first, only this time around Liverpool looked to be a little more threatening then they were in the first half.
However Birmingham were back to their best and were creating chances again. The team created their first real chance near the hour mark. Scott Dann met a Larsson’s cross but his downward header somehow managed to bounce up over the goal.
The next real chance fell to Torres, who sprinted past the Birmingham defence but carried the ball a little too far, left with no options the forward smashed the ball against Ben Foster who was present in goal to deny the ball from going over the line.
Some good news for Liverpool fans was that, Raul Meireles was handed his debut as the player was brought on to replace Lucas in the Liverpool midfield.
As the match progressed Birmingham proved to be the more threatening, however Liverpool also had their chances. Their best chance being the one in the second minute of injury time, when Meireles found him self unmarked in front of goal but managed to sky rocket his shot well wide.
The match ended with score line being nil all. Birmingham and Liverpool have now matched the Premier League record for most number of matches being drawn in a row, which stands at seven games.
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