Articles
Heskey ends goal drought
IF AN end to Emile Heskey's desperate search for a goal was memorable, then so too was the television interview he gave afterwards. The Liverpool forward had rather hoped to reflect on his first strike in 21 games, but the sight of Phil Thompson involved in an angry altercation with Bernt Haas rendered him speechless.
A sixth victory in nine games as Liverpool's caretaker manager did nothing to calm Thompson. He was still furious with Haas for the fashion in which he reacted to Dietmar Hamann's two-footed lunge moments before the interval, and he chose to express that dissatisfaction immediately after the final whistle.
That Steve Bennett was quite right to dismiss Hamann for his recklessness was lost on Thompson. Haas tried to shake Thompson's hand, the Anfield coach brushed the Sunderland defender away and their row continued as they entered the tunnel. Haas, it seems, was not amused by such impertinence.
In fairness to Thompson, he showed some remorse once he had showered, changed, and entered the press room for the post-match conference. "I just got carried away," he said. "I'll see the lad later and I'll apologise to him then.
"Maybe that was the caretaker manager in me. Passions were running high, and what upset me was the fact that we will now lose Dietmar for a few games. I was delighted for Emile today. I thought he was fantastic. But what I think needs clarifying is whether every two-footed tackle is a sending-off offence.
"I've seen the incident again and while it was two-footed, both feet made contact with the ball. The contact with the player was minimal."
It was lucky for Haas that it was minimal, such was the force with which Hamann launched himself at the ball. The Swiss defender may have rolled in apparent agony rather further than was necessary, but his injuries could have amounted to far more than a sore foot.
Hamann's red card forced Thompson to make changes and it was Robbie Fowler who ultimately paid for his colleague's foolish act. Gary McAllister was dispatched from the bench to fill the void in midfield, leaving Fowler a frustrated figure back in the dressing room.
If this was Fowler's last appearance for Liverpool, and contact made between Anfield officials and Leeds United certainly suggests that may be the case, it was no way for his time here to end. At the conclusion of every match Fowler walks to the Kop to applaud the supporters, but Hamann denied him that opportunity.
For Hamann this turned into an agonising afternoon, the German shifting uncomfortably in his seat in the directors' box for the entire second half as he watched 10 men defend their one-goal advantage.
Heskey had given Liverpool a lead they richly deserved. Sunderland were poor, and when Haas fouled Vladimir Smicer on the edge of the penalty area in the 22nd minute the Premiership leaders seized their chance with real conviction. Danny Murphy crossed from the left, and Heskey met the perfectly struck delivery with a terrific header.
Only after Hamann had left the field did Sunderland offer any response, but even then they did little that concerned Liverpool. If anything the home side should have scored a second, the sight of McAllister sending a shot high over the Sunderland crossbar with the goal at his mercy was the best chance after the break. Smicer's cross left McAllister with so much space and time, but to the amazement of everyone, not least himself, he missed.
"The red card made it a difficult game for us," said Peter Reid, the Sunderland manager. "Liverpool won three trophies last season by defending deep and hitting teams on the break, and once they stuck 10 men behind the ball we just didn't have the quality to break them down."
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A sixth victory in nine games as Liverpool's caretaker manager did nothing to calm Thompson. He was still furious with Haas for the fashion in which he reacted to Dietmar Hamann's two-footed lunge moments before the interval, and he chose to express that dissatisfaction immediately after the final whistle.
That Steve Bennett was quite right to dismiss Hamann for his recklessness was lost on Thompson. Haas tried to shake Thompson's hand, the Anfield coach brushed the Sunderland defender away and their row continued as they entered the tunnel. Haas, it seems, was not amused by such impertinence.
In fairness to Thompson, he showed some remorse once he had showered, changed, and entered the press room for the post-match conference. "I just got carried away," he said. "I'll see the lad later and I'll apologise to him then.
"Maybe that was the caretaker manager in me. Passions were running high, and what upset me was the fact that we will now lose Dietmar for a few games. I was delighted for Emile today. I thought he was fantastic. But what I think needs clarifying is whether every two-footed tackle is a sending-off offence.
"I've seen the incident again and while it was two-footed, both feet made contact with the ball. The contact with the player was minimal."
It was lucky for Haas that it was minimal, such was the force with which Hamann launched himself at the ball. The Swiss defender may have rolled in apparent agony rather further than was necessary, but his injuries could have amounted to far more than a sore foot.
Hamann's red card forced Thompson to make changes and it was Robbie Fowler who ultimately paid for his colleague's foolish act. Gary McAllister was dispatched from the bench to fill the void in midfield, leaving Fowler a frustrated figure back in the dressing room.
If this was Fowler's last appearance for Liverpool, and contact made between Anfield officials and Leeds United certainly suggests that may be the case, it was no way for his time here to end. At the conclusion of every match Fowler walks to the Kop to applaud the supporters, but Hamann denied him that opportunity.
For Hamann this turned into an agonising afternoon, the German shifting uncomfortably in his seat in the directors' box for the entire second half as he watched 10 men defend their one-goal advantage.
Heskey had given Liverpool a lead they richly deserved. Sunderland were poor, and when Haas fouled Vladimir Smicer on the edge of the penalty area in the 22nd minute the Premiership leaders seized their chance with real conviction. Danny Murphy crossed from the left, and Heskey met the perfectly struck delivery with a terrific header.
Only after Hamann had left the field did Sunderland offer any response, but even then they did little that concerned Liverpool. If anything the home side should have scored a second, the sight of McAllister sending a shot high over the Sunderland crossbar with the goal at his mercy was the best chance after the break. Smicer's cross left McAllister with so much space and time, but to the amazement of everyone, not least himself, he missed.
"The red card made it a difficult game for us," said Peter Reid, the Sunderland manager. "Liverpool won three trophies last season by defending deep and hitting teams on the break, and once they stuck 10 men behind the ball we just didn't have the quality to break them down."
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited
