Hull City move closer to safety and dent Liverpool’s Champions League hopes
Hull 1 - 0 Liverpool
Michael Dawson 37
Hull City's Michael Dawson scores in the 37th minute in the Premier League game against Liverpool
Hull City’s supporters and their Liverpool counterparts feel they have reasons to feel aggrieved with matters off the pitch at the moment but Michael Dawson’s first goal since 1 January 2013 meant at least one set of fans went home happy.
The 31-year-old defender took advantage of Liverpool’s poorly organised attempt to catch him offside and headed Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross beyond Simon Mignolet. It was Dawson’s first goal since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and it arrived just when Hull needed it most.
Dawson ran, celebrating, towards the KC Stadium’s North Stand, from where, some 15 minutes earlier, significant numbers of home fans had voiced their discontent with the owner, Assem Allam and his continued ambition to see the club, renamed Hull Tigers.
Dawson’s rare goal also meant the Liverpool supporters seated to their left had more cause for complaint. The visitors had sold out their allocation of about 2,500 despite ticket prices of £48, though many had boycotted the match in objection to the cost. The away section appeared to be less than half full and some of those who had stayed away gathered outside Anfield to protest as part of a demonstration organised by the Spirit of Shankly supporters’ group.
Those supporters who had made the 126-mile journey east did so hoping their faint hopes of a top-four finish would be strengthened. Qualification for the Europa League is probably as much as they can hope for now.
For the second match in succession, Liverpool failed to score, despite seeing plenty of the ball. Brendan Rodgers described his team’s performance in Saturday’s goalless draw against West Bromwich Albion as “outstanding” and made only one change to his starting lineup. Steven Gerrard appeared to be suffering with cramp towards the end of the match in the Midlands and the 34-year-old was spared an outing in east Yorkshire.
Liverpool’s biggest problem, though, is clearly not in midfield. Without Luis Suárez, now of Barcelona, without Daniel Sturridge, injured more often than not, and with Mario Balotelli, they simply do not pose enough of a threat in attack.
Steve Harper, the Hull goalkeeper, had saves to make – from Philippe Coutinho and twice from Jordan Henderson – but the 40-year-old will have had more strenuous evenings. His opposite number was equally as busy.
Dame N’Doye, the Senegalese striker, scored in Hull’s win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and he went close against Liverpool but saw his header from six yards pushed away by Mignolet after Sone Aluko’s cross from the left. Robbie Brady breezed past the right-back Emre Can to send a devilish cross into the six-yard box and Mignolet punched the ball out as far as Jake Livermore. Livermore’s header was goalbound but the goalkeeper made a reflex stop before the ball was hacked clear for a corner.
Hull had already troubled Liverpool more then West Brom managed to and the hosts took a deserved lead eight minutes before half-time. Liverpool’s defenders were waiting for a flag to go up against three Hull players in the area when a corner routine looked to have gone awry as Elmohamady’s cross came in from the right. A fourth player, Dawson, however, was not offside and he was free to head home. The defender ran towards the home fans, who all of a sudden seemed in a better mood.
“I thought we deserved it for the way we set ourselves and played,” Steve Bruce said. “We caused them a threat. When you play against Liverpool, you need to defend well and we did.”
Glen Johnson, from left back, attempted to lead Liverpool’s response but saw his low, drilled cross, elude all, including Balotelli.
N’Doye and Aluko gave Hull dynamism in attack and meant the hosts remained a threat from counterattacks as Liverpool pressed for an equaliser.
Hull were grateful to Harper when he dived low to his right to keep out a snap-shot from Henderson after Coutinho’s deflected shot fell kindly for the Liverpool captain before Rodgers brought on Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana in place of Balotelli and Jordon Ibe, who had been about as effective as each other – not very.
Henderson let fly with a shot from 20 yards that Harper gathered the ball at the second attempt and there was time for one last chance for Liverpool as Lallana found space to curl an effort towards goal from the corner of the 18-yard box but the ball drifted narrowly wide. A tame attempt from one of Liverpool’s big summer signings that typified Liverpool’s plight.
For Hull, it was another haul of precious points and a significant step towards survival. While Rodgers was questioning his team’s mental strength, Bruce was left saluting his players’ resolve.
“I’ve never really doubted the character,” the Hull manager said “We’ve had a lot to put up with injuries and conceding late goals. But the vast majority are desperate to be in the Premier League and that’s shown in the last couple of performances.”
Guardian
