Liverpool maintained their unbeaten home league record in 2008 with a stunning 3-2 comeback victory, but how Wigan made them fight.

• Bruce slams ref Wiley

The Anfield men are specialising in dramatic comebacks, and after Chelsea's 5-0 win at Middlesbrough earlier in the day, they knew they could not afford to slip-up.

But they were twice behind to first-half goals from Egyptian striker Amr Zaki, his second an acrobatic volley into the Kop end.

Dirk Kuyt's first equaliser kept Liverpool in the game and they fought their way back to win 3-2, just as they had at Manchester City a fortnight ago.

Wigan battled for everything and the game turned on a red card for Antonio Valencia with 16 minutes left.

The Latics were down to 10 men and Liverpool powered forward, with Albert Riera grabbing the equaliser and Kuyt, with a slightly less clean version of Zaki's volley, secured maximum points for Rafael Benitez's side.

Liverpool were forced into four changes from the side which claimed a late fightback at Eastlands a fortnight ago with Daniel Agger, Robbie Keane, Andrea Dossena and Jermaine Pennant all coming in.

Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano, Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio were all out.

Emile Heskey, who revealed earlier in the week that a return to Liverpool would be "lovely'' was missing for Wigan with a hamstring strain, so Dutchman Daniel de Ridder came in.

Tackles flew in, there was pace and desire from Wigan and they had the bulk of the early possession.

Zaki gave Agger and Jamie Carragher plenty to think about, and the collision between Lee Cattermole and Steven Gerrard in midfield was uncompromising.

Jose Reina needed to be at his best when he had to beat away a drive from Olivier Kapo after a clever pass from Wilson Palacios had put him through on the left of the box.

Liverpool had not really threatened to this point, but almost scored when Riera's ball put Keane in on the left after 28 minutes.

He was forced a yard wider than he would have liked, and saw his angled right-foot shot just clear the far post.

Then within a minute, Wigan were ahead after a terrible mistake from Agger.

Reina tapped a routine pass out to the Dane, who was far too casual. He allowed the ball to bounce away from him enough for Zaki to pounce, win the tackle, and stride into the box to beat Reina with a shot into the bottom corner.

Agger knew he had to do something after that howler and atoned after 37 minutes when he came out of defence down the left before exchanging passes with Dossena.

He then went past Cattermole in the box before crossing for Kuyt to fire in the equaliser, his first home league goal since scoring against the same opposition in April.

Kuyt then hit the crossbar and Riera's towering header cleared the top of bar.

But Zaki had the final word of the half with a stunning scissors-kick from a Valencia cross which flew past Reina for a sensational goal.

Liverpool went searching for a second equaliser straight from the restart and it took a fine save from former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland after 57 minutes to keep Wigan ahead. Pennant jumped over Keane's low cross from the left, and Kuyt's instant shot was blocked by Kirkland's left leg.

Riera almost set up Keane in the six-yard box before Gerrard lashed a 30-yard shot wide.

Liverpool were now gambling by throwing men forward, risking more danger from the robust, physical Zaki, who was more than happy to take on Carragher at every opportunity.

Gerrard side-footed a free-kick wide after a Wigan wall had failed to retreat far enough, and Valencia was booked.

Wigan were furious because they believed that Xabi Alonso's touch sideways of about a yard meant the kick had been taken.

But worse was to follow for Valencia. Soon after he was in trouble again for a foul on Alonso, and referee Alan Wiley showed a yellow and then a red card to the Wigan man.

That just inspired Liverpool to launch a new wave of attacks, and when substitute Nabil El Zhar crossed from the right after 79 minutes, Riera lashed home his first goal for the club. Wigan deserved more, but with five minutes to go, Pennant crossed from the right and Kuyt hooked the ball down into the turf and up to clear Kirkland's stretching fingers.

Bruce slams ref WileyWigan manager Steve Bruce claimed two decisions from referee Alan Wiley cost his team the game as they lost 3-2 at Liverpool today. Bruce pointed to a yellow card for Antonio Valencia for encroaching at a free-kick, and then another booking for the same player for a foul on Xabi Alonso, that he claimed "changed the game''.

Valencia was sent off playing for Ecuador last weekend, and with 16 minutes to go at Anfield saw red again, this time with Wigan 2-1 ahead. But Bruce said: "In my opinion we were robbed. It is a joke that we have not come away from this match with something.

"The referee got the first booking for Valencia wrong. The Liverpool player took the kick, and Valencia did not encroach towards it until the ball had been kicked. So he got that one wrong.

"Then there is the tackle on Alonso, in which I felt the lad touched the ball. I felt that was harsh. Those decisions changed the whole course of the game. With 11 against 11 we would not have lost. But there were a lot of tired bodies out there and we could not hold out.

"When you are at Anfield you need some things to go for you. I keep hearing the word 'respect' but I did not think we got that from the referee's performance today.''

Bruce added: "We were ahead at the break and deserved it. It was not a fluke, we had taken them on and Zaki was outstanding. He is scary to play against and he will not understand how he can be on the losing side after a performance like that.''

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez saw his side maintain their unbeaten record this season, and stay in second place on goal difference from Chelsea.

He said: "We started badly, but Dirk Kuyt did us proud in this game. The whole side showed great character to come back like that again. We did something similar at Manchester City a fortnight ago, and maybe I would like a calmer time on the bench.

"You will have to ask my doctor how much of this I can take. It would be nice to have three or four goals at the break for a change. But I felt we won it because we have belief in ourselves, and believe that we can win these games. It is a positive situation for us that we have this level of confidence.''

Click this link to read more!

10:58 AM
Categories: Amr Zaki, Dirk Kuyt, EPL, Latics, the kop, Wigan. Author: nik

Dirk Kuyt admitted the Liverpool players were hugely frustrated after they were robbed of what seemed like a legitimate goal in Saturday's goalless draw at home to Stoke City.

The Dutch forward felt Steven Gerrard's third minute free-kick was harshly ruled out for offside but was honest enough to suggest the Reds should have made more of the chances they created during a hugely one-sided 90 minutes.

"We thought we'd scored a goal through Stevie but the referee has said he disallowed it for offside," Kuyt told Liverpoolfc.tv. "That's frustrating but we still had time to overcome that disappointment and score another goal.

"We had a lot of possession and created a lot of chances but at the end of the day you have to score goals to win matches."

The stalemate with the Barclays Premier League newcomers means Liverpool's hopes of maintaining a prolonged 'perfect' record at Anfield are already over after just three matches.

It is particularly frustrating for the Reds coming on the back of last weekend's magnificent triumph against Manchester United and Kuyt felt they were unlucky not to take more than a point from a clash they dominated from start to finish.

"You always want to win your home games, especially against opposition like Stoke," he said.

"It was like a game of attack against defence where they had 10 men behind the ball all the time. But it's our job to break them down and although we made a number of openings we weren't able to convert them.

"Sometimes football is like this. You deserve to win but at the end you are unlucky. After beating Manchester United last week it was a good chance to build up some momentum and it's disappointing that we didn't manage to do it.

"But we must look ahead now, go to Everton next week and put this result behind us with a win. We got a good win there last season and I have good memories from that game too, so hopefully it can be the same again."

Kuyt also had words of support for strike duo Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane who have yet to hit top form so far this season.

"The goals will come for Fernando and Robbie," he said. "We have no worries. They will score goals."

Click this link to read more!

11:59 AM
Categories: Dirk Kuyt, EPL result, Liverpool, Stoke City. Author: nik

Liverpool left it late - very late - to secure their place in Thursday's Champions League draw and you can now enjoy Dirk Kuyt's 117th minute strike against Standard Liege online.

With the clock ticking towards a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out Ryan Babel's cross from the left finally unlocked a well organised Belgian defence and Kuyt celebrated his 100th game for the club with the most important goal he's ever scored.

Meanwhile benitez hails amazing Kuyt ..

Rafael Benitez hailed the 'amazing' energy of Dirk Kuyt after the forward marked his 100th game for the Reds with the winner against Standard Liege.

The Dutchman was on hand to fire home Ryan Babel's deep cross with just two min
utes of extra-time remaining to secure a 1-0 win and book Liverpool's place in the lucrative Group Stage of the Champions League.

It was a strike that ended the Belgian champions' brave resistance and the Reds boss admitted he was relieved that his side's efforts were eventually rewarded.

"I was really pleased because Kuyt scored the winning goal," said Rafa.

"His effort is amazing every game. I'm also really pleased because Nabil played well again.

"We knew it could be difficult. From the first minute they played well and we knew they would play well on the counter attack so we had to work really hard until the end.

"For me the most positive thing is that we played a little bit better against a good team who are sharp and we scored at the end. That means that the team are working really hard."

Benitez felt the overriding factor behind his side's late winner was their ability in the wide areas and was pleased that they kept going, despite suffering an evening full of frustration.

"The goal came from a good cross from Ryan Babel and Nabil also played well," he said. "You play with wingers because it gives you space for penetrating passes.

"It's important to have balance in defence but also in attack so that you have pace and quality in the wide areas, with Torres and Keane in the middle.

"We had confidence and we kept pushing. We knew from the first game they are really good and today they also played well. They were always a threat because you know you can concede from a free-kick or a corner but we were going forward well and controlling the game but we were missing the final pass to make the difference."

In an end to end first-half the Reds were twice grateful to Pepe Reina for producing two fantastic saves and while Benitez was delighted with his stopper's display he refused to heap too much praise on individual performances.

"Pepe was the key player in the first game but today it is not about just one player, it is about all of them," he said.

"You could see how hard they were working against a good team. When you play this kind of game you know the other team is training and playing thinking about just this game.

"We had the international break the other day and a lot of players weren't ready, so it was important to make sure we got through and we can now start work again with the group."

Benitez and co can now look forward to tomorrow's group stage draw safe in the knowledge they have once again boosted both the Anfield coffers and their chances of more silverware come May.

"To have the possibility to play for trophies is amazing and really important and also in terms of money," he added.

"We know it is important. If you play at this level you will have more chances of winning trophies and money."

Click this link to read more!

10:05 AM
Categories: Dirk Kuyt, ECL, Rafa Benitez, Standard Liege. Author: nik

Rafael Benitez today responded to speculation linking Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt with moves away from Anfield and insisted: "Neither player will be leaving."
Benayoun is reportedly attracting interest from Italian giants Roma while Kuyt has this morning been linked with a switch to Hamburg in Germany.

The Liverpool boss has spoken with both players over the past 24 hours and is adamant each has a big part to play in the club's quest for honours this season.

He said: "It is true that Roma are interested in Yossi. I was talking with him yesterday and told him I want to keep him. He is a player with quality and has shown that during pre-season. I have no more news about Yossi - he will be staying with us.








"I also talked with Dirk Kuyt this morning. I am really pleased with him and he will be staying with us."

Click this link to read more!

12:02 PM
Categories: Dirk Kuyt, Rafa Benitez, Yossi Benayoun. Author: nik