Liverpool trounce Stoke at Anfield
Luis Suarez scored on his Liverpool debut as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Raul-Meireles-c30678 opened the scoring in the 47th minute as the Reds dominated the uninspired Stoke City.
Suarez started from the bench as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Matthew-Etherington-c24822 found a place on the bench.
Stoke City manager, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tony-c35440 Pulis, deployed a five man midfield to narrow down the Liverpool attacks. The tactics looked to work for the Potters as it disrupted Liverpool’s passing game in the opening half.
Liverpool began carefully as the first chance of the game arrived almost immediately when Sotirios Kyrgiakos’s header from Steven Gerrard’s corner was cleared off the touchline by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Abdoulaye-Faye-c3254.
Stoke came close in the 21st minute when Jermaine Pennant’s beautiful cross was nodded just wide of the post by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/John-Carew-c18841.
Stoke keeper, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Asmir-Begovic-c6841, made a beautiful reaction save in the 35th minute to keep out Glen Johnson’s thumping header from close range. A minute later Kuyt spurned a great chance to put the hosts ahead, the Dutchman nodded wide Gerrard’s cross,
and volleyed it over from close range.
The game reached a stalemate at half time but Liverpool were definitely the better of the two sides as they created a lot of openings and came close to scoring in most of them.
It didn’t take long for the second half to offer excitement as Meireles scored for the hosts just two minutes after the resumption. Steven Gerrard’s low free kick outside the box was cleared and the rebound fell in for Kyrgiakos, who passed the ball onto
Meireles, leaving him to shoot from close range. This was the third goal in four league matches for the Portuguese international.
Stoke struggled to get going due to constant Liverpool pressure, Aston Villa loanee, Carew, came close again when his thumping shot went just wide of the target.
Just after the hour mark, new boy Luis Suarez came on as a substitute to euphoric applause from the home fans.
It took him just eleven minutes to show the Anfield faithful that there is life after http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andy-Wilkinson-c6057 tried to clear but he knocked the ball into his own net.
Stoke tested their luck when http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pepe-Reina-c29672 saved it beautifully down to his left.
A 2-0 result was fair evidence of the evening’s action, as the visitors were left frustrated with their lacklustre display.
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