Liverpool v Portsmouth (22nd December)

Today's wasn't going to be easy.  Great to have (almost) got the result we needed as an early Christmas present.

Liverpool have been dominant to say the least. And lots of points on my dream team. So I am happy for a win and the points.

To let you know, today, Anelka HAS scored in an open goal!

TORRES!!!!

Well he hasn't got 2 goals for awhile has he...

GOAL TORRES...!!!

Bugger there goes my predidction!! 4-1

GOAL: Liverpool 4-1 Portsmouth

Fernando Torres is the man, yet again. With a volley from Gerrards knock down.

No chance of a hat-trick, as Lucas replaces him almost immediately

Lets go Lucas!!

Score check-up;
FT; Arsenal 2 -1 Tottenham
85'; Aston Villa 1 - 1 Man City
85'; Bolton 2 - 0 Birmingham
85'; Fulham 1 - 1 Wigan
85'; Liverpool 4 - 1 Portsmouth
85'; Middlesborough 1 - 1 West Ham
85'; Reading 1 - 1 Sunderland

Well he hasn't got 2 goals for awhile has he...

...seems to be working

...seems to be working

You know what to do now DM

...seems to be working

Carragher hasn't scored in a while.....

...seems to be working

yeah ..try another

The final whistle has Blown! 4-1 to Liverpool!
West ham and Reading have also just both scored,
Borough 1 - 2 West Ham
Reading 2 - 1 Sunderland

Well, thats all folks!

We like scoring four goals don't we.

That's the 6th time we've scored exactly 4 goals in a game this season, for the anoraks out there.

BBC Match Report

Liverpool bounced back from their disappointing Carling Cup exit with a slick display which ended Portsmouth's six-match winning run on the road.

Yossi Benayoun fired the Reds ahead with a powerful volley and Pompey's Sylvain Distin inadvertently deflected home for an own goal to make it 2-0.

Benjani's slick control and finish made it 2-1 shortly after the break.

But Fernando Torres' calm sidefoot restored the Red's two-goal lead and his late volley completed the win.

It was an impressive all-round display from Liverpool who came into the match on the back of morale-crushing defeats to Manchester United in the league and Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-final.

Rafa Benitez made nine changes from the side which lost in the cup quarter-final and will have been delighted with how his side began.

After Dirk Kuyt was denied by an excellent last-ditch sliding tackle from Glen Johnson, they broke the deadlock on 13 minutes.

Harry Kewell crossed from the left for Benayoun to powerfully volley first-time past David James.

The misery deepened for Pompey in somewhat comical fashion three minutes later.

Kuyt found Fernando Torres in the box, but he was tackled by Sol Campbell who could only look on aghast as the ball rebounded off Distin's shin and past James into the net.

Portsmouth had won their previous six away games, but showed little sign of that form and rarely looked like troubling the Liverpool defence in the opening half.

But they emerged with far more purpose after the break and grabbed a lifeline on 57 minutes through Benjani.

Substitute Nwankwo Kanu crossed and the Zimbabwean calmly took the ball down and rifled low into the net inside Jose Reina's near post from eight yards.

It was a fine strike, but Liverpool reacted well. They did not panic and restored their two-goal lead 10 minutes later.

Torres applied a calm sidefooted finish after keeper James was unable to get any distance on his clearance as he blocked a pass which was inadvertently deflected off of Hermann Hreidarsson's boot.

And Torres put the gloss on the win, volleying inside James' near post from Steven Gerrard's header back across the area.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7145745.stm

Here is a round up of the other F.A. Premierboat matches

Arsenal 2-1 Spurs
Aston Villa 1-1 Man City
Bolton 2-0 Birmingham
Fulham 1-1 Wigan
Liverpool 4-1 Portsmouth
Middlesbrough 1-2 West Ham
Reading 2-1 Sunderland

Very good performance and the bounce back from Pompey scoring really impressed me. Im gonna be a prententious pr1ck like some and start giving out numbers out of 10 for performances. heres my list

Reina       10 good team performance
Arebeloa   10 good team performance
Risse        10 good team performance
Hyppia      10 good team performance
Carragher   10 good team performance
Kewl        10 good team performance
Yossi       10 good team performance
Babel      10 good team performance
Gerrard    10 good team performance
Mascharano  10 good team performance
Kuyt        10 good team performance
Torres      11 a new god
 

Very good performance and the bounce back from Pompey scoring really impressed me. Im gonna be a prententious pr1ck like some and start giving out numbers out of 10 for performances. heres my list

Reina       10 good team performance
Arebeloa   10 good team performance
Risse        10 good team performance
Hyppia      10 good team performance
Carragher   10 good team performance
Kewl        10 good team performance
Yossi       10 good team performance
Babel      10 good team performance
Gerrard    10 good team performance
Mascharano  10 good team performance
Kuyt        10 good team performance
Torres      11 a new god
 

11 of 10 for Torres does not do him justice! Should at least be 13 or 14

Very good performance and the bounce back from Pompey scoring really impressed me. Im gonna be a prententious pr1ck like some and start giving out numbers out of 10 for performances. heres my list

Haha, I'll take that personally.

Ha! I was delighted with the match today, Yossi's goal was savage! As were Torres!

Best Christmas present I could of asked for 

Congratulation reds!!!!!I ve seen just the first 20 minutes with Mascherano's goal and Distin......ah ah!!!!
Torres is beatiful player...tomorrow I will lock his goals...
Tomorrow we will destroy the other team of our city!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATULATION...Bye Bye