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Liverpool's unbeaten run ends
08/12/2007 22:27 - (SA)
Reading - Rafael Benitez looked on in disbelief as Liverpool's unbeaten start to this season's Premier League came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Reading who won 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium here Saturday.
Stephen Hunt's penalty, Kevin Doyle's header and James Harper's smart finish were enough to see off a lacklustre Liverpool.
Steven Gerrard replied for the visitors but they never looked like the team who had grabbed 21 goals in their last five games and the Reds failed to keep the pressure on the leaders at the top of the table.
Ahead of Liverpool's must-win Champions League clash away to Marseille on Tuesday, club captain Gerrard was substituted with 20 minutes to go much to the England midfielder's obvious displeasure.
This result left Liverpool seven points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal, who could go 10 clear of Benitez's side if they beat Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres should have opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he missed a glorious opportunity.
John Arne Riise's long throw caused chaos in the Reading area and the ball fell to the Spaniard, Liverpool's leading scorer in the league, ten yards out.
Reading though were given a controversial penalty in the 16th minute when Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have brought down Brynjar Gunnarrsson on the edge of the box.
Referee Andy Marriner pointed straight to the spot as he was surrounded by furious Liverpool players.
The offence appeared to start outside the area and Gunnarrsson only fell to the floor when he got inside the box.
After a minute's delay, while the referee consulted his linesman, Reading midfielder Hunt kept his cool to send Pepe Reina the wrong way.
Liverpool got a deserved equaliser just before the half hour mark through talisman Gerrard.
Reina's clearance was knocked on by Torres and Gerrard raced through to plant the ball past Hahnemann and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Jack Hobbs, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool, looked assured at right-back and made a decent challenge on Convey to stop the American in his tracks.
Liverpool came out firing after the break and almost grabbed a second through the excellent Torres.
Peter Crouch broke down the right and left Nicky Shorey on the floor as he crossed back to Torres on the six-yard line.
Torres made a poor connection and the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the left hand post. Gerrard was booked just before the hour when he brought down Hunt with a tackle from behind.
Doyle almost grabbed a second when he latched onto Hahnemann's goal-kick, turned and fired a shot just over the bar.
Captain marvel Gerrard tried to drag Liverpool back into the game and was unlucky when his 30-yard blockbuster came back off the bar.
Harper made matters worse for Liverpool in the 67th minute when the midfielder ran on to Dave Kitson's through-ball, burst clear and rounded Reina before calmly sliding the ball into the net.
- AFP
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