10-man Liverpool ensured Roy Hodgson's first Barclays Premier League game in charge was one to remember as they drew 1-1 with Arsenal in an absorbing contest at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds turned in a battling performance against the Gunners after Joe Cole was sent off 45 minutes into his league debut following a challenge on Laurent Koscielny - the first time he has been dismissed in his professional career.
But the decision only served to fire-up Liverpool and, seconds after the restart, David Ngog drilled the hosts into the lead with a well-taken strike that arrowed into the back of the net.
Arsenal pressed in search of an equaliser in the latter stages, but it arrived in extremely fortunate circumstances as Pepe Reina fumbled into the back of his own net under the challenge of Marouane Chamakh on 90 minutes.
It was harsh on the hosts, who had performed with real grit and determination throughout, though their display will have given the new boss much encouragement for 2010-11.
Hodgson's team selection was anything but routine for his league bow at the helm of the Reds - and there were starts for World Cup finalists Reina and Dirk Kuyt, despite the duo having only recently returned to Melwood following an extended summer break.
Meanwhile, Fernando Torres was named on the substitutes' bench, but perhaps even more intriguingly, there was a starting berth for Javier Mascherano in the centre of the park.
The boss had indicated at his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon that he would have no qualms about pitching the Argentina captain into battle against the Gunners, despite having last month revealed the midfield's desire to seek pastures new.
Also named in Hodgson's team were new signings Cole and Milan Jovanovic - two players whose arrivals in L4 had served to well the feel-good factor that had resounded around the walls of Anfield in the lead up to the big kick-off.
With the Kop in full cry, Liverpool made a promising start in the Merseyside sunshine - though Reina had to extend himself to beat away Thomas Vermaelen's thumping free-kick in the opening exchanges.
That proved to be the only chance of note in a tense first 20 minutes of the contest, though two tempting Glen Johnson crosses had to be frantically defended by the Arsenal rearguard while Samir Nasri clattered the Reds wall with a set piece.
Arsenal, though, were beginning to find their footing and set about probing the Reds backline, though chances remained thin on the ground with Gael Clichy striking an effort over from range on the half-hour mark.
With seven minutes of the half remaining, Liverpool carved out their best opportunity of the game so far when Jovanovic sprung the Arsenal offside trap to latch onto Jamie Carragher's lofted ball forward. However, the Serb's half-volley from the left channel of the box swerved high into the Anfield Road.
Johnson then forced Manuel Almunia into his first save of the afternoon with a curling left-foot shot from the edge of the box that the visiting goalkeeper had to claw over the crossbar on the stretch.
From Gerrard's resulting corner, Ngog's header was hacked off the line by Clichy.
The impetus was finally with Liverpool - but their plans were dealt a major blow on the stroke of half-time as Cole was harshly sent off by referee Martin Atkinson.
There could be no denying the playmaker caught Koscielny as the centre-back attempted to clear the ball forward from the right-back position, but TV replays indicated the instant red card raised in the mystified 28-year-old's direction was too severe a punishment.
The whistle sounded seconds later with Anfield in a state of shock and leaving Hodgson with much to ponder during the interval.
But, within a matter of seconds into the second period, Liverpool turned Anfield's howls of derision into cries of joy as they took the lead.
Collecting possession 25 yards from goal, Mascherano fed the ball into Ngog inside the right-hand channel of the box. The Frenchman held off the challenge of Vermaelen before crashing an unstoppable drive beyond Almunia at his near post and into the roof of the Kop end net.
It almost got even better for the revved-up Reds soon after as Martin Skrtel glanced Gerrard's inviting free-kick inches over the bar.
Despite Arsenal's numerical advantage, Liverpool were firmly in the ascendancy - Ngog powered a header over with the captain again the provider from a set piece on 56 minutes.
Kuyt's industry on the right then almost carved out a chance for the striker after he outfoxed Clichy, but the cross narrowly evaded everyone in the centre, while Arsenal saw Vermaelen glance wide from substitute Tomas Rosicky's delivery.
With the time beginning to ebb away, Arsenal were starting to apply more pressure to the home side's goal. Theo Walcott went close with a curling free-kick, but the England winger saw the effort pushed around the base of the post by Reina's dive.
With just shy of 20 minutes remaining, Hodgson summoned Torres from the bench to take the place of Ngog, who himself earned a standing ovation after working diligently all afternoon.
Of course, the appearance of the No.9 in a Reds shirt for the first time since he reaffirmed his commitment to club helped crank up the decibel levels a notch or two.
But Arsenal were pushing hard and only a genuine world-class save from Reina kept Liverpool in the lead as the Spaniard repelled Rosicky's seemingly goal-bound attempt on 86 minutes.
However, home hearts were broken in 90th minute as Reina fumbled the ball into the back of his own net under the challenge of Chamakh and the visitors rescued a point they scarcely deserved.
Liverpool went close to claiming a dramatic stoppage-time winner, but Almunia turned Gerrard's stinging free-kick around the post and Arsenal had Koscielny sent off for a second bookable offence in a frantic finale.
No comments:
Post a Comment