Marseille 1 Liverpool 2
IF LIVERPOOL are indeed the Duracell bunnies of Europe, there was no doubt who was banging the drum loudest again last night.
Step forward Steven Gerrard, Captain Fantastic, record breaker and undisputed man in a million when it comes to the big occasion.
Clearly Marseille boss Eric Gerets had his finger on the pulse when he compared the Reds to that most durable of batteries.
Mind you, in Gerrard’s case he would probably have been more accurate dubbing him Ever Ready. Certainly when it comes to these European evenings.
Time and again the Anfield captain has hauled his side back from the brink, salvaged lost causes, and inspired countless glories.
Last night it was the latter, as Gerrard popped up with a double to down Marseille and get Rafa Benitez’ men off to a Champions League flier.
Gerrard was yet again the driving force which ensured this time there was no stumbling out of the blocks.
A year ago, remember, Liverpool picked up just one point from their first three games to arrive here with the manager’s job on the line, and knowing only a win would save their necks.
What a contrast, then, to this visit. Second in the table, a first league win in four years over Manchester United still fresh in the memory and just one loss in 17 games.
And, of course, a European pedigree second to only Real Madrid and AC Milan.
The only thing, in fact, you can really level at them is the fact they do sometimes need a kick up the proverbial to bring out their best.
It was the same here in Marseille as it took a goal from nothing by the French to spark them into life.
After creating a couple of good openings, Liverpool fell behind on 23 minutes. Modeste M’Bami picked out Benoit Cheyrou midway in the Liverpool half and he knocked a lovely pass over the top. Jamie Carragher was half a yard behind the rest, left Lorik Cana onside and the Albanian gave Pepe Reina no chance.
Liverpool immediately went up a couple of gears and within nine minutes they were ahead.
First, Fernando Torres showed there is more to his game than sticking the ball in the net by robbing M’Bami in his own territory.
The Spaniard fed Dirk Kuyt, and when he played it square, Gerrard struck across the ball for an incredible dipping 20-yarder which keeper Steve Mandanda never even saw. Liverpool had their tails up now, and with virtually their next attack they were in front.
Ronald Zubar should never have let Carragher’s long ball drift over his head to Ryan Babel — and boy, didn’t he pay the price.
Babel skipped past the centre- back, who stuck out a leg to send him crashing for a clear penalty.
Up stepped Gerrard to despatch it to the keeper’s left.
Yet even then there was drama as pedantic referee Konrad Plautz ruled Kuyt and Torres had stepped into the box and ordered a retake.
Nerves? Not a bit of it, as Gerrard promptly replaced the ball and drilled it to the same corner with exactly the same result. It took him to 99 Liverpool goals and extended the record as his side’s leading scorer in Europe — ironically one he reached when surpassing Michael Owen’s haul of 23 here last season.
Yet the only record Gerrard, replaced on 68 minutes, and his Red marauders are REALLY concerned about is extending their triumphs in this competition to six.
Babel had a chance to make it safe for the Reds but tried to blast through the keeper. And the French twice went close to nicking an equaliser and Reina had to be at his best to deny Mamadou Niang.
Yet come the final whistle, it was a case of all’s well that ends well.
The final in Rome may still be some eight months down the line but make no bones about it — when Liverpool are on song in the Champions League, the rest of Europe sits up and takes no
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