EPL Week 35: Birmingham - Liverpool

Forssell 1-0

Larsson 2-0

Crouch 2-1

Benayoun 2-2


Liverpool with a draw from Birmingham

Liverpool rested their stars ahead of their crunch Champions League clash against Chelsea this week and went two behind, only to net twice to level and leave Birmingham on the brink of relegation...

Mikael Forssell gave Alex McLeish's side the lead, and a sensational Sebastian Larsson free-kick doubled their advantage and had them dreaming of safety.

However, Peter Crouch pulled one back for the Reds just after the hour mark after good work from Jermaine Pennant and Andriy Voronin. Yossi Benayoun netted a late equaliser in the most fortuitous of circumstances, with a cruel deflection off Radhi Jaidi ensuring it ended up in the back of the net.

Liverpool are comfortable in the fourth and final Champions League qualification place, while the draw leaves Birmingham a point adrift of safety, with just two games to play.

First Half

The game started at a fairly slow pace and there were very few chances on goal.

Kapo showed some promise on the flank, doing well to get to the byline before powering a wasteful ball across goal that was missed by one and all.

However, James McFadden made no such mistake shortly after the half hour mark, when he got the beating of troubled Liverpool full-back John Arne Riise before crossing for Mikael Forssell, who chested the ball down brilliantly and hammered his side into the lead.

Liverpool had an effort of their own soon after, with Crouch producing a low effort from distance that had Maik Taylor scrambling across his goal to make the stop.

Second Half

Liverpool showed visible signs of upping the tempo - with manager Rafa Benitez perhaps telling his men that a result is good for momentum and morale, if not practically necessary - however, they still could not manage to produce the final ball and were lacking creativity.

McFadden has that in abundance, and he was the one who drew the foul from Martin Skrtel, that allowed Sebastian Larsson to take a 30-yard free-kick, and with Jadhi stood in front of goalkeeper Jose Reina to serve as a distraction, it appeared to work, as the ball flew into the net Liverpool were left absolutely stunned.

However, the joy was somewhat short-lived, as Peter Crouch slotted home an equaliser less than 10 minutes later, after good work and a smart assist from Jermaine Pennant, who is relishing the game-time coming his way, though it has yet to earn him a starting berth in Benitez's strongest line-up.

Andriy Voronin and Yossi Benayoun had an effort each as Liverpool pressed for an equaliser, as Birmingham looked out of ideas.

Therefore, it was little surprise when Pennant - again the provider - put a ball in for Yossi Benayoun to head home, courtesy of an unfortunate deflection off Jaidi.

Birmingham will call it bad luck, Benitez will no doubt say that it was Jaidi who stood in front of Pepe Reina to give Birmingham their second. The game ended level and the fight is still very much on for Birmingham.