REDS STICK SIX PAST DERBY
REDS STICK SIX PAST DERBY
Liverpool have gone top of the Premier League after goals from Xabi Alonso (2), Ryan Babel, Fernando Torres (2) and Andriy Voronin gave them an emphatic 6-0 win over Derby County at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds maintained their unbeaten start to the season and went top ahead of Sunday's games after a devastating performance that saw Alonso and Torres score twice, Babel score his first for the club and Voronin score for the second consecutive Premier League game.
Derby came to Anfield still trying to find their feet back in the top flight after winning just one point from their opening four games. The Reds on the other hand had the summit of the Premier League in their sights after an excellent start to the season that has seen them claim seven out of nine points available.
Derby got us underway and made a positive start when Mears shot over into the Kop, but Liverpool quickly got on the front foot and it took a fine save from Bywater to stop Daniel Agger's 25 yard strike finding the bottom corner.
The Reds came close in the 8th minute when Pennant's cross found the head of Torres and Bywater had to make a flying save, but Billy Davies' side were adopting a positive approach in the early stages and it took a timely interception from Daniel Agger to stop Stephen Pearson's marauding run into the penalty area.
Liverpool were being frustrated and Derby were restricting them to long range shots. Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano both went close with efforts from distance, but it was clear that the Reds needed a kick start and they got it in somewhat bizarre circumstances when Alonso gave them the lead in the 26th minute.
It came after a foul on Arbeloa gave them a free kick midway inside Derby's half and Alonso whipped in a curling free kick that beat everyone, including Bywater, and hit the back of the net. It was just the break that Liverpool needed and they would go in 2-0 up at the break after Ryan Babel's first goal for the club capped a period of dominance on the stroke of half time.
The all important second coming when Arbeloa found Babel on the edge of the penalty area and he dummied two Derby defenders before finishing emphatically high into the net.
Liverpool come out for the second half and went straight at Derby. They should have gone 3-0 up almost straight away when good play between Arbeloa, Torres and Kuyt gave Alonso a chance that he lifted over.
But they did go 3-0 in the 56th minute and it was another fine goal from Fernando Torres. Torres sending Anfield into raptures as he beat his marker before finishing coolly with his left foot from 12 yards.
The Reds were now absolutely dominant and Derby were finding it impossible to live with their immense attacking threat. Liverpool added a fourth through Alonso in the 69th minute before Voronin came off the bench to score the fifth in the 76th minute after Bywater had only been able to parry Kuyt's shot into his path.
The final word belonged to Man of the Match Fernando Torres because he scored his second goal and Red's sixth goal in the 77th minute to cap a brilliant Liverpool performance.
Rafael Benitez is refusing to get carried away despite seeing his side go top of the Barclays Premier League after thrashing Derby County 6-0.
The Liverpool manager admitted he was pleased and proud of his side's performance, but noted a sign of caution when he said that it is only early days in the race for the title.
"I am really pleased with my team and we are playing well, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets," enthused Benitez.
"It's good for our supporters to see us top of the league but we now have to keep it going and keep working hard in every game we play. It's too early to talk about being top of the league.
"In the first half Derby were well organised and played very deep but we managed to keep attacking them and got our reward with the goals. We have so many options now in attack and it's good for me as a manager.
"We scored six good goals and it's good to see Torres and Voronin scoring goals. Kuyt worked so hard and was unlucky not to score and I really liked Babel's goal."
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia (captain), Agger, Finnan, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, Pennant, Torres, Kuyt. Subs - Riise, Itandje, Voronin, Sissoko, Benayoun
Derby County: Bywater, Fagan, Todd, Davis, Griffin, Pearson, Camara, Oakley (captain), Malcolm, Howard, Mears. Subs - Price, McEveley, Moore, Teale, Earnshaw
Referee: A Wiley
Conditions: Dry
Attendance: Unknown
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres
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