After the poor performance at the weekend resulted in their first Premier League loss of the season the Reds bounced back today in the final match of the Champions League group stage, destroying the French side 4-0.
Steven Gerrard opened the account by putting in the rebound of his saved penalty kick in the fourth minute and $50 million man Fernando Torres showed why he deserved the price tag by adding a second less than ten minutes later. Harry Kewell made a lovely pass off a poor clearance by the Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda, delivering it to Dirk Kuyt wide open at the top of the box and that was number three. Ryan Babel continued his European form by racing past a worn out defender in the 91st minute, then easily touching the ball past Mandanda.
The host’s defense was pathetic and apathetic, to say the least, and Pepe Reina literally did not have to make a save the entire evening. Sammi Nasri came on as a sub for them at the begining of the second half and put a little life into the Marseille side but after about 10 minutes faded into the same black as his mates, and that was that.
The goals took Liverpool’s tally to 16 in the last three Champions League matches, following eight against Besiktas a few weeks ago and the four against FC Porto before that. After a very disappointing draw and two losses in the first three games, this result puts the Reds into the first knockout stage and drops Marseille to the UEFA Cup.
On to Manchester United as part of a Big Four Sunday (Arsenal are at Chelsea in the other game), then a Carling Cup meetup with Chelsea Wednesday.
Roar, Reds!
BillSaysThis 