- Dawson scores first goal since 2013
- Hull four points clear of relegation zone
- Liverpool seven points off top four
Hull City moved four points clear of the relegation zone with a win which leaves Liverpool almost certain to miss out on Champions League qualification.
Michael Dawson's well-timed run and header before half-time deservedly secured the points which moved the Tigers above Aston Villa in to 15th.
Jordan Henderson threatened to level but saw a volley saved after the break.
The Reds failed to create a clear opening and are now seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
With just 12 points to play for, a second successive season in Europe's elite competition is now surely beyond Brendan Rodgers' side and a return of just four points from a possible 15 underlines the stuttering end to their season.
Hull, by contrast, have found solidity at the right time, earning back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since October 2013 as they put some daylight between themselves and Sunderland in 18th.
Hull City's remaining fixtures | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Arsenal (h)
|
Burnley (h)
|
Tottenham (a)
|
Man Utd (h)
|
4 May
|
9 May
|
16 May
|
24 May
|
Indeed, another win for Steve Bruce's side would equal their best Premier League points return of 37 and looks likely to be enough to secure another top-flight campaign as the sides around them find wins hard to come by.
Bruce's side were comfortable throughout and though the visitors had 12 shots on goal, few were of serious threat and the sight of Mario Balotelli ambling off to be replaced after 65 minutes spoke volumes of Liverpool's lack of cutting edge.
The Italian had just 22 touches and with no Steven Gerrard in the squad and Raheem Sterling barely in the game, only flourishes from the busy Philippe Coutinho threatened to change the outcome.
The Brazilian drew a smart save from Steve Harper in the opening period but Hull created better chances and were prevented a certain goal when Glen Johnson cleared off the line with Sone Aluko ready to tap home.
Liverpool have managed to keep 14 clean sheets this season, second only to Chelsea, and their defenders may point the finger at Balotelli who played Dawson onside for his first goal since New Year's Day 2013.
Three home players appeared offside in the build-up to the goal but Dawson's run was perfect and he guided a smart header home.
Liverpool's away end had patches of empty seats with some fans protesting against Premier League ticket prices and Rodgers' players could not reward those in attendance, though Henderson's volley from Coutinho's pass did work Harper.
Hull closed out just a second win in 20 attempts over Liverpool - a timely victory which poses serious questions of those around them at the bottom.
LINEUP, BOOKINGS (2) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)
Hull City
- 22 Harper
- 05 Chester
- 21 Dawson
- 15 McShane
- 27 Elmohamady
- 14 Livermore Booked
- 08 Huddlestone
- 29 Quinn (Ramírez - 84' Booked )
- 11 Brady
- 28 N'Doye (Rosenior - 90' )
- 24 Aluko (Bruce - 86' )
Substitutes
- 01 McGregor
- 02 Rosenior
- 03 Figueroa
- 04 Bruce
- 09 Hernández
- 20 Sagbo
- 25 Ramírez
Liverpool
- 22 Mignolet
- 23 Can
- 37 Skrtel
- 06 Lovren (Markovic - 76' )
- 02 Johnson
- 14 Henderson
- 24 Allen
- 10 Coutinho
- 33 Ibe (Lallana - 65' )
- 45 Balotelli (Lambert - 65' )
- 31 Sterling
Substitutes
- 01 Jones
- 04 K Touré
- 09 Lambert
- 19 Manquillo
- 20 Lallana
- 32 Brannagan
- 50 Markovic
Ref: Lee Probert
Att: 24,843
Hull City move closer to safety and dent Liverpool’s Champions League hopes
imon Burnton: five talking points from Hull’s victory
• Defeat at Hull leaves Rodgers in search of character
• Defeat at Hull leaves Rodgers in search of character
Hull City’s supporters and their Liverpool counterparts feel they have reasons to feel aggrieved with matters off the pitch at the moment but Michael Dawson’s first goal since 1 January 2013 meant at least one set of fans went home happy.
The 31-year-old defender took advantage of Liverpool’s poorly organised attempt to catch him offside and headed Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross beyond Simon Mignolet. It was Dawson’s first goal since moving from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and it arrived just when his new club needed it most.
Dawson ran, celebrating, towards the KC Stadium’s North Stand, from where, some 15 minutes earlier, significant numbers of home fans had voiced their discontent with the owner, Assem Allam and his continued ambition to see the club, renamed Hull Tigers.
Dawson’s rare goal also meant the Liverpool supporters seated to their left had more cause for complaint.
The visitors had sold out their allocation of about 2,500 despite ticket prices of £48, though many had boycott the match in objection to the cost. The away section appeared to be less than half full and some of those who had stayed away gathered outside Anfield to protest as part of a demonstration organised by the Spirit of Shankly supporters’ group.
Those supporters who had made the 126-mile journey east did so hoping that their faint hopes of a top-four finish would be strengthened but they left disappointed. The booby price, qualification for the Europa League, is probably as much as they can hope for now.
For the second match in succession, Liverpool failed to score, despite seeing plenty of the ball. Brendan Rodgers described his team’s performance in Saturday’s goalless draw against West Bromwich Albion as “outstanding” and made only one change to his starting lineup. Steven Gerrard appeared to be suffering with cramp towards the end of the match in the Midlands and the 34-year-old was spared an outing in east Yorkshire.
Liverpool’s biggest problem, though, is clearly not in midfield. Without Luis Suárez, now of Barcelona, without Daniel Sturridge, injured more often than not, and with Mario Balotelli, they simply do not pose enough of a threat in attack.
Steve Harper, the Hull goalkeeper, had saves to make – from Philippe Coutinho and twice from Jordan Henderson, but the 40-year-old will have had more strenuous evenings. His opposite number, Simon Mignolet, was equally as busy.
Dame N’Doye, the Senegalese striker, scored in Hull’s win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and he went close against Liverpool in the opening stages but saw his header from six yards pushed away by Mignolet after Sone Aluko’s cross from the left. Robbie Brady breezed past the right-back Emre Can to send a devilish cross into the six-yard box and Mignolet punched the ball out as far as Jake Livermore. Livermore’s header was goalbound but the Liverpool goalkeeper made a reflex stop before the ball was hacked clear for a corner.
Hull had already troubled Liverpool more then West Brom managed to and the hosts took a deserved lead eight minutes before half-time. Liverpool’s defenders were waiting for a flag to go up against three Hull players in the area after a corner routine had gone awry as Elmohamady’s cross came in from the right. A fourth player, Dawson, however, was not offside and he was free to head in his first goal since joining Hull from Tottenham. The defender ran towards the home fans, who all of a sudden seemed in a better mood.
“I thought we deserved it for the way we set ourselves and played,” said Bruce. “We caused them a threat. When you play against Liverpool, you need to defend well and we did.”
Glen Johnson, from left back, attempted to lead Liverpool’s response but saw his low, drilled cross, elude all, including Balotelli.
N’Doye and Aluko gave Hull dynamism in attack and meant that the hosts remained a threat from counterattacks as Liverpool pressed for an equaliser.
Hull were grateful to Harper when he dived low to his right to keep out a snap-shot from Henderson after Coutinho’s deflected shot fell kindly for the Liverpool captain before Rodgers brought on Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana in place of Balotelli and Jordon Ibe, who had been about as effective as each other – not very.
Henderson let fly with a shot from 20 yards that Harper gathered the ball at the second attempt and there was time for one last chance for Liverpool as Lallana found space to curl an effort towards goal from the corner of the 18-yard box but the ball drifted narrowly wide. A tame attempt from one of Liverpool’s big summer signings that typified Liverpool’s plight.
For Hull, it was another haul of precious points and a significant step towards survival. While Rodgers was questioning his team’s mental strength, Bruce was left saluting his players’ resolve.
“I’ve never really doubted the character,” Bruce said “We’ve had a lot to put up with injuries and conceding late goals. But the vast majority are desperate to be in the Premier League and that’s shown in the last couple of performances.”
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário