Dumped Berger punishes old pals

Patrik Berger, dumped by Liverpool during the close season, exacted revenge on his old club yesterday. The Czech Republic international's first-half goal won this tense match for Portsmouth and left Liverpool wondering where their next Premiership victory is coming from.

On the evidence of this dreadful performance, it could be a long wait. So commanding when they knocked Slovenia's Olimpija Ljubljana out of the UEFA Cup in midweek, Liverpool were bafflingly weak and disjointed on their return to Premier League action.

Portsmouth had lost three Premiership matches on the trot but, had they taken all their chances, the Merseysiders' third successive League defeat - an unusual indignity for them - would have been even more painful to endure. Wide open in defence again and lacking inspiration in midfield, Liverpool also felt the absence of the injured Michael Owen more keenly than ever.

Liverpool brought back Stephane Henchoz in central defence and moved Igor Biscan, Henchoz's deputy while the Switzerland international has been injured, into midfield. Portsmouth also made a change in that area, Nigel Quashie replacing the injured Alexei Smertin at the start of a contest which opened eventfully.

Inside the first three minutes, Emile Heskey hit a post from Steve Finnan's through pass and Berger swept Portsmouth into the lead from Sebastien Schemmel's cross.

It all proved a false dawn, since little else of note happened until the 29th minute, when referee Steve Dunn penalised Boris Zivkovic for what he saw as hand-ball by Portsmouth's left back. The fact that Zivkovic had headed the ball incensed Berger so much that he was booked for dissent before Steven Gerrard's low free-kick was scrambled off the line.

Portsmouth, constantly exploiting Liverpool's weakness on the left side of defence, remained the more coordinated and convincing side up to half-time. Teddy Sheringham would certainly have scored if Quashie had not taken Steve Stone's inviting centre off the prolific striker's head, and then Sheringham's partner, Yakubu, was unfortunate to see his left-footed volley drift just wide of the far post.

Enlivened, no doubt, by a half-time dressing-down, Liverpool were more dangerous at the start of the second half. John Arne Riise blasted the ball over the bar when the visitors finally made something of an overhit Harry Kewell corner; then Shaka Hislop had to leap to his right to pull down the fierce, rising shot with which Heskey ended a forceful run infield from the right.

The Merseysiders were never happy when the ball was in their own half, though, and they were extremely fortunate not to concede another goal when Biscan headed a Schemmel free-kick against his own bar. Desperate to score themselves, the visitors sent on their promising young French attackers, Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle in quick succession for the peripheral Vladimir Smicer and El Hadji Diouf.

The game ended as dramatically as it had started. No sooner had Yakubu begun a hectic last few minutes by thrashing a shot against the underside of the Liverpool bar, than Sinama-Pongolle was wasting two good chances to pull the fat out of the fire for his team. Twice the young Frenchman had a clear sight of goal and twice shot wide.

Match details

Portsmouth: Hislop, Schemmel, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic (Foxe 35), Zivkovic, Stone, Quashie (Sherwood 90), Faye, Berger, Sheringham, Ayegbini.
Subs Not Used: Wapenaar, Taylor, Roberts.
Booked: Berger, Faye.
Goals: Berger 4.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Diouf (Sinama Pongolle 64), Gerrard, Biscan, Smicer (Le Tallec 60), Heskey, Kewell.
Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Traore, Welsh.
Booked: Diouf, Biscan.

Att: 20,123
Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).

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