Liverpool: James, McAteer, Kvarme, Wright, Ruddock, Bjornebye,
Redknapp, Thomas, Berger, McManaman, Collymore.
Subs Not Used: Warner, Barnes, Harkness, Owen, Carragher.
Booked: Ruddock.
Goals: Collymore 15, Berger 43.
Tottenham: Walker (Baardsen 45), Austin, Howells (Fox 45),
Calderwood, Scales, Campbell, Anderton (McVeigh 75), Dozzell,
Vega, Sinton, Sheringham.
Subs Not Used: Fenn, Clapham.
Booked: Anderton.
Goals: Anderton 5.
Att: 40,003
Ref: M D Reed (Birmingham).
[PA-Report] [Telegraph-report] [Times-report]
Liverpool kept their slim title hopes alive with an unconvincing victory over Tottenham at Anfield tonight to keep the pressure on Premiership leaders Manchester United. Stan Collymore and Patrik Berger both struck in the first half to cancel out Darren Anderton's early opener and move Liverpool over Arsenal into second place. But it was a performance which lacked championship quality and substitute keeper Estan Baardsen -- a half-time replacement for Ian Walker -- made only four meaningful saves as Liverpool were frustrated in their efforts to cap their final home game of the season with a convincing performance.
Liverpool, needing victory to keep pressure on the leaders, began nervously as if the pre-match demonstration of support for the family of the Hillsborough victims had adversely affected them. Fans and players from both sides held up red cards urging the new Home Secretary Jack Straw to open a new inquiry into the disaster in the light of recent fresh evidence. The show of support, organised by the Football Supporters Association, was given a huge ovation by the 40,003 crowd but the Liverpool end were quickly silenced by Tottenham's positive opening.
Anderton, plagued by injury since helping England to the Euro '96 semi-finals last summer, showed he had lost none of his sharpness during the lay-off with a cleverly executed header to give the Londoners a fifth minute lead. David Howells fed Sol Campbell on the right and his cross was met by Anderton's looping header which sailed over David James into the bottom corner to knock Liverpool out of their early stride. Teddy Sheringham, picking up where he left off for England against Georgia in midweek, put on a bright display but then wasted a golden opportunity to double their lead when he blasted wide having found space on the right. Swiss international Ramon Vega also went close as Liverpool, sticking to the 4-4-2 formation which served them so well in their Cup Winners' Cup return against Paris St Germain, had difficulty picking up Spurs' front runners.
But Tottenham paid the price for those costly misses when Collymore linked up with strike-partner Berger to level terms. Neil Ruddock fed Berger on the edge of the box and his neat flick created space for Collymore to fire a low shot past Walker. That 15th minute equaliser galvanised Liverpool and Collymore missed a further chance before Berger earned Liverpool's advantage just two minutes before the interval. Howells' misdirected pass was intercepted by Stig Bjornebye and his intelligent ball sent Berger racing away before cooly slotting the ball wide of Walker's dive.
Liverpool's failure to keep pace with Alex Ferguson's leaders has often been because of their defensive frailties and Howells almost equalised in first half injury time with a free header. The lapse in concentration clearly worried Liverpool manager Roy Evans who adopted a less positive approach after the break -- causing the Anfield crowd to become increasingly frustrated at their lack of attacking menace. Collymore twice went close and tested Baardsen's reflexes twice with low shots while Ruel Fox, a half-time replacement for Howells, gave James an easy catch with an attempted lob from the edge of the box. But those chances apart, Liverpool gave a disappointing second half display to sign off their Anfield season with, although it failed to prevent the crowd from giving them a standing ovation during their lap of honour after the final whistle.
Liverpool manager Roy Evans tonight insisted his side had not given up hope of becoming champions although he admitted they are outsiders. Evans watched his side chalk up a 2-1 win over Tottenham at Anfield to move within three points of leaders Manchester United, although they have played a game more.
Evans admitted: "You've got to believe you have a chance or it will never happen. We are the outsiders but we have got into second place which is important and we are keeping the pressure on." Evans kept faith with the 4-4-2 system which helped inspire a magnificent fightback against Paris St Germain recently and hinted it could be a formation which they turn to next season. "Five at the back has been a successful system for us but 4-4-2- has it merits as well," he said. "We need to be more organised about it. Today we got by with endeavour and effort without too much knowledge and perhaps we can combine the two after we've worked at it." Evans added: "It would be nice to finish second although we'd prefer to finish first and although realistically the only way to get into the Champions League is as champions, if they are going to open the side door then we would accept it."
Tottenham manager Gerry Francis predicted Liverpool may have to settle for second and confirmed he was backing Alex Ferguson's side to lift their fourth title in five seasons. "A couple of weeks ago I thought Manchester United would win it," he said. "Tonight is a good result for Liverpool but I can't see anyone catching them now. "Once you have been there and done it it helps an awful lot. Anything can happen in football and there have been some strange results recently with a few of the bottom teams winning. But if I had to put money on it I would back United." Francis revealed he had gambled on the fitness of goalkeeper Ian Walker, who had an Achilles tendon problem and had to be withdrawn at half time, and Darren Anderton and John Scales both returning after long-term injuries. "We took a few gambles and some of them come off and some of them didn't. "We have worked hard and it was an up-and-down game particularly in the second half but if we have got anything out of this it is the success of the kids who have come in and done so well."
By Patrick Barclay
Liverpool (2) 2 Tottenham (1) 1
IF Liverpool sensed from the morning's events that the title might still be worth their pursuing, the evening must have made them rue afresh a tendancy to lapse at home, without which Manchester United's distance from the tape would be more daunting.
No one could question Liverpool's character yesterday. Having fallen behind to the untypically lethal head of Darren Anderton in the early stages, they turned the match round through superbly-taken goals from Stan Collymore and Patrik Berger and fought to subdue a Tottenham who did not give the impression of having come North to make up the numbers.
While on neither side was the defending always Premiership Category A let alone Serie A, the vigorous trading of blows kept the audience engrossed and on this occasion Liverpool, who had dropped their guard fatally when Coventry and then Manchester United were the visitors, grittily declined to do so.
Given their stumbles at Anfield this season it is perhaps fortunate that Liverpool have two away matches left - against Wimbledon on Tuesday night and Sheffield Wednesday a week today - in which to try to finish second. Whatever the arithmetic of the situation, that is the realistic target.
Though Roy Evans's team have incurred much criticism, second would be their best placing since 1990-91 and more than pride is at stake because England is among the countries whose runners-up will be eligible for next season's European Cup. They must play in the preliminary rounds but, if successful, would enter the lucrative Champions League (the losers go into the UEFA Cup).
But money from Europe would certainly strengthen Liverpool's hand in the transfer market, where they will have to be active to keep pace with the likes of Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea, who have already been recruiting from the Continent in readiness for the next campaign.
One player expected to make way for reinforcements at Anfield is Collymore. John Barnes may stay, though the 33-year-old club captain was again on the bench as Evans started with only one change from the side that stirringly departed Europe 11 days ago, Bjorn Kvarme replacing the suspended Robbie Fowler. With Kvarme at right-back and Jason McAteer pushed into midfield, Liverpool's formation resembled the 4-4-2 used against Paris St Germain.
To recreate the passion of that night was another matter. After the players and fans of both sides had brandished cards demanding justice for the Hillsborough families, Liverpool went hungrily into attack before suffering a setback.
The danger to their defence was not obvious when Sol Campbell pressed from the left, yet Anderton contrived a deft back-header that crept in off the far post, delighting last week's England absentee on his latest comeback from injury and stunning the bulk of the crowd.
Shortly afterwards Campbell, applying his head to Anderton's free-kick, went within inches of increasing the deficit, but Liverpool took advantage of this escape by equalising when Berger helped on a long free-kick from Neil Ruddock and Collymore sent a fierce, low drive beyond Ian Walker.
Collymore looped a header just over Walker's crossbar as he continued to prove quite a handful for a rearguard featuring John Scales, who has struggled for fitness since leaving Anfield six months ago. The Merseysiders may have missed Fowler when Kvarme laid an inviting ball across the face of goal, the area where the artful poacher is usually to be found. But Berger's response to a through pass from Stig Bjornebye was splendid enough to dispell such thoughts; sprinting behind Ramon Vega, the Czech gave Liverpool the lead with panache.
Another great roar began when Ruddock leapt to break up a Spurs attack and picked out Collymore, whose sweeping cross-field pass maintained a fine move that Steve McManaman was to spoil by heading McAteer's cross to an opponent. Dropped by England, McManaman is out of sorts, though his appetite for the fray cannot be doubted.
He nevertheless had to bear the brunt of the crowd's anxiety as Tottenham kept threatening. No sooner has Espen Baardsen, a half-time substitute for Walker in goal, denied Collymore than the action switched to the other end where the beneficiary of Gerry Francis's second change, Ruel Fox, had a lob gratefully clutched by David James.
Louise Taylor at Anfield
Liverpool 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
MATHEMATICALLY still Championship contenders but, realistically, challenging Newcastle for second place, Liverpool showed off their newly direct, dynamic colours to winning effect.
A qualified success much of the defending was a bit iffy this bright, slightly brash makeover indicates that Roy Evans, the home manager, has undergone a fairly profound ideological shift. Belatedly recognising the flaws which undermined a season that initially promised glory, Liverpool have reverted to a formation so recently considered passé in this country but currently enjoying a renaissance throughtout continental Europe.
Having apparently lost faith with wing-backs, Roy Evans once again arranged Liverpool in a new look 4-4-2 ensemble featuring Bjorn Tore Kvarme at right-back and Jason McAteer on the right of midfield.
But all systems are only as good as the personnel operating within them and Liverpool's defenders proved horribly error-prone in the fifth minute.
The versatile Sol Campbell playing at left-back here and rumoured to be Liverpool-bound this summer whipped in an excellent cross and, although Darren Anderton made the most glancing of headed contact, the ball struck an upright and, confounding David James, entered the net.
Lacking the suspended Robbie Fowler seen with his arm around a Spice Girl before kick off Evans handed Stan Collymore principal attacking responsibility.
The maverick's Anfield days may be distinctly finite now but Collymore wasted little time in proving why, potentially and fulfilling this promise remains a significant "if" he could possibly be as good as Alan Shearer.
With 15 minutes on the clock Neil Ruddock, restored to central defence, launched a glorious left-footed long pass, Patrick Berger flicked on and there was Collymore accelerating onto the ball. Having cleverly stayed on-side the Tottenham players appealed in vain for a linesman's flag Collymore's muscular forward thrust enabled him to elude Ian Walker with a viperish, low, left-foot shot from just inside the area.
While Collymore's genuine ability with both feet counts as a prime plus in his personal arsenal, Steve McManaman's excessive reliance on his right foot is one reason why Glenn Hoddle opted for Robert Lee last Wednesday. Here McManaman hugged the left touchline but provoked widespread frustration when, with Collymore crying out for a cross he found himself unable to dispatch a centre with his weak foot and turned full circle to put it onto the right. By which time Tottenham had regrouped and Lee was presumably planning his holiday around England's itinery. Indeed all the early evidence suggested McManaman was lucky to have occupied the bench against Georgia at Wembley.
While McManaman's horizon nevertheless remains relatively rosy, John Barnes' Liverpool prospects appear to be receding and he started as a substitute last night.
Was it only back in August that Barnes proved man of the match in an exhilarating 3-3 draw at Middlesbrough?
Coupled with that readjusted formation, the captain's absence infused Liverpool with a little more pace and urgency, if slightly less accuracy.
This increased tempo and willingness to play longer passes was fully vindicated in the 44th minute when Stig Inge Bjornebye evaded Ramon Vega before playing a superb ball for the advancing Berger who promptly shot low, unstoppably, beyond Walker.
Good endorsement of the new, Barnes-less, system came via a stream of menacing crosses which surely occurred with less regularity in the old wing-back days.
At least Walker, who has been playing half fit and patched up, was spared coping with any more such action after the interval when young Baardsen took his place in goal. The substitute quickly dived low to smother a Collymore shot an excellent save. Meanwhile Gerry Francis, the visiting manager, sent on a right winger of his own, Ruel Fox in David Howell's stead.
Fox, duly prompted some discomfort among Merseyside defensive ranks but his final ball invariably proved wanting and the Londoners were lucky when Colin Calderwood escaped unpunished after body-checking Berger just outside the penalty-area. Similarly, when Berger shot selfishly across the face of goal with McManaman well placed in the six-yard box. Trying his luck from distance Jamie Redknapp a prime beneficiary of Barnes' omission came mighty close to scoring. Hats off to Baardsen for a splendid reflex flying save. Walker will have to be on his toes because Baardsen proceeded to make an even better stretching, one-handed stop from Collympore.
Liverpool still must visit Wimbledon and Sheffield Wednesday as they pursue that all-important second place at worst which ensures European Cup involvement. Yet you sense Evans's thoughts must have been partly fixed on next term. Should Collymore be persuaded to stay or asked to go? Ditto Ruddock. And what about Barnes? Is Paul Ince worth breaking the bank for? Questions, questions.