FULL TIME 1-1. Another 2 points dropped at home...7 adrift of the top...no comment on the strength of our title challenge at this point. Is it too early to start drinking?
92' One minute left...
91' Great play by Torres gets into the box, but the cutback is intercepted and cleared to Aurelio, who can't make solid contact, goal kick.
90' Looking at 3 minutes of stoppage time.
89' Blood pressure at 180 over 94.
87' Kuyt flashes one across the goal, so close.
85' Another stop by Given after Benayoun smashes on the half-volley. A goal if it's not straight at him.
84' You can't say Man City are playing for a draw at least.
83' Kuyt hits a thunderbolt towards goal that Given can only parry...Babel on for Masch. Slightly predictable subs, but attacking subs.
81' Good break by Liverpool leads to a corner that gets a little dicey, but Benayoun can't get a boot to it. Man City's defense is looking vulnerable...
80' Aurelio swings one in, but Benayoun can't put it towards goal.
GOAL Kuyt! Benayoun gets a good cross in, Torres misses it, Kuyt there to poke it in. A little life injected into the match...let's hope for a good finish.
75' El Zhar booked for a challenge on Zabaleta, while Kompany escapes a second booking in three minutes. Aurelio on for Dossena.
74' "Improbable-certainly. Impossible-Almost certainly." At least the announcers have our back.
73' Kompany tries to ensure that the Skrtel lineage ends with Martin and writhes on the ground as a result, only to be greeted by a yellow when he gets up.
70' Apparently it was yanked wide by a phantom touch from a Liverpool player...two successive corners to Man City with little to show but plenty of time off the clock.
69' Free kick to Man City on the edge of the box after a dangerous spell of possession...Robinho looks to take...and yanks it wide.
66' Dangerous ball floated in by El Zhar gets a corner...which leads to a huge break for Man City, a goal by Ireland called back for offsides. Funny how quick that can happen.
64' Reina does his best impression of Micah Richards and gets a ball to the face for his efforts. Xabi Alonso is shown in the stands looking...not enthused.
63' Another spell of possession that ends with a long-range effort wide of goal. El Zhar(!) on for Riera, who had a decent enough match.
59' Ireland puts one into Dossena country, but again, our defense looks a little too open.
57' Riera again with positive work on the left side, good defending by Richards, corner for Liverpool...Torres gets a head to it but not on goal.
55' Slightly clumsy break by Liverpool, able to maintain possession, though...Riera slices one into Torres, who is just behind it and can't get a full foot to it.
51' De Jong with a long-range effort that very nearly snuck into the top corner. A good reminder that they could score more than one and it would likely be in our best interests to try to score one as well.
GOAL Heavily deflected goal by Bellamy. Showed a little class by not whooping it up. Little consolation, though, as now we need a two spot. Terrific.
46' Second half starts with a reminder from both announcers that this is a must-win and a "strange hush" around Anfield.
A first half that we've seen before--lots of possession, some decent chances, but nothing to show for it. Not that it really matters, but this looked much more like a 4-2-3-1 with Kuyt in the Gerrard role. Not much action from City, their only real threat was the counter when Robinho played Ireland through. Have to imagine that this one will look similar to the second half of previous matches as well--more open, redoubled efforts towards goal. Let's just hope it results in 3 points.
HALFTIME
45' Acres of space for Arbeloa on the right, good cross to Kuyt, but the header is wide. 2 minutes of added time.
41' Great control by Torres, lay-off to Benayoun, who can't put it on goal. I smell 0-0 at the half...
39' Micah Richards goes airborne and flips after a good tackle by Skrtel. Not sure that was proportionate.
37' Great work by Torres, first with the body feint to free himself, then with the cutback to Riera. Riera pulls it just wide..was a perfect ball for a first-touch strike, but wasn't on his favored foot.
35' Dossena shins one towards goal that Shay Given keeps in. At the other end, Craig Bellamy passively threatens the linesman's life. I miss him.
32' Richard Dunne again feeling charitable, but the resulting free kick doesn't pose much threat.
30' Wow. Looking slightly vulnerable on the counter, luckily Ireland scuffed it a bit.
28' Standby for the Operation Anfield Exercise. Maybe that will lead to a goal.
23' Kuyt pulls it wide after a good pass from Torres. What position is Kuyt playing?
22' Couple dangerous crosses across goal, another dangerous corner, ball loose in front of goal...still nothing.
19' Richard Dunne fouls Torres on the edge of the box, free kick...and Yossi smashes it into the wall.
17' Solid possession by Liverpool, with Dossena flashing in a great ball that is either just in front or just behind about 3 different Liverpool players. Lots of possession with not much to show so far.
15' Hide all the sharp objects, Lucas' first foul of the day in which he bundles into someone uneccessarily.
12' Kuyt plays in Torres, who was offside. Looks like Kuyt had a free path to goal--Dunne had already committed to following Torres, leaving nothing in between Kuyt and goal.
10' Yossi again involved in the attack, getting Kuyt free down the side. Kuyt flashes in a somewhat threatening cross that's cleared for a corner...which leads to nothing of consequence.
8' Nice move by Benayoun to get free and lay it off for Torres, but can't strike it cleanly.
6' Not the best challenge by Dossena, who clatters into Micah Richards. Apparently still having problems with depth perception.
3' Corner kick to Liverpool...maybe not so much.
0' Away we go!
**With no Gerrard and Alonso, the midfield situation today might get a little murky. Let's hope Lucas had common sense implanted into his brain since we saw him last.
**Liverpool squad:
--------------Reina----------------
Arbeloa--Carragher--Skrtel--Dossena
Benayoun--Mascherano--Lucas-Riera
----------Kuyt--Torres-------------