Liverpool 1 Manchester United 1

‘The Biggest club game in world football’ was how Sir Alex Ferguson described this huge encounter in the pre-match press conference. Kenny Dalglish, on the other hand, attempted to play down the game as ‘just another 3 points ’. But actions speak louder than words, however,  and King Kenny showed this in his team selection as he slung newly-fit  Steven Gerrard straight into the equation.

In sharp contrast the shock on match day was that Sir Alex had left Rooney, after the disappointment of his international ban being extended, along with Hernandez and Nani on the bench. Although this was a surprise to his starting line-up, it gave him scope for totally changing the shape of his team if needed later in the day.

This was the 193rd meeting between the two sides in all competitions. United edge the head-to-head record by 71-61 but have not beaten a team managed by Kenny Dalglish at Anfield in the League since Sir Alex's very first visit, on Boxing Day 1986.

On a perfect day at Anfield the game started slowly, with Liverpool maybe edging United out throughout the first half. Suarez probably should have scored on 35 minutes after the ball broke to him on the edge of the area. Twisting and turning, he gained a yard on Evans before sending the ball down the throat of De Gea who parried away. Apart from Suarez’ chance, neither keeper was really tested in the 1^st half, with both teams seemingly happy not to concede in the opening stages.

The second half began with intense pressure, with Liverpool creating an array of chances, testing the United defence. Their hard work paid off when midway through the second half, Charlie Adam picked up the ball on the half way line, ghosted through the United midfield and was deemed to have been tripped by Ferdinand on the edge of the box giving Gerrard the opportunity to put his side ahead. Gerrard hit it from 20 yards with the ball going through the United wall and into the bottom right hand corner.

The game wasn’t over there. Sir Alex bought on his big guns and almost instantly they made an impact. Ryan Giggs won the a corner and from there Nani whipped a flat cross in. Danny Welbeck won the header at the front post and there was substitute Javier Hernandez to head home.

In the final stages of the game Liverpool looked to press and could have had another but it was Wayne Rooney who bravely won the header to prevent Luis Suarez from grabbing a last minute winner. However, the biggest game in club football ended all square.

Post-match, the game seems to have been over-shadowed by controversy over a racism claim from Patrice Evra, suggesting that he was racially abused by Luis Suarez. It was clear that the two had clashed throughout the game as the referee, Andre Mariner, had to speak to the pair on numerous occasions. Let’s hope that these allegations are unfounded. England is proud of its success above many other European nations in the Kick Racism Out Of Football Campaign and as this sort of behaviour is no longer tolerated in the English sport at large.

Teams:

Liverpool: Reina, Enrique, Carragher, Kelly, Skrtel, Gerrard, Downing, Lucas (Henderson 57), Adam, Suarez.

Subs: Doni, Agger, Robinson, Henderson, Spearing, Carroll, Bellamy.

Manchester United: De Gea, Evra, Jones (Hernandez 76), Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Giggs, Park (Rooney 69), Young (Nani 69), Fletcher, Welbeck.

Subs: Lindegaard, Anderson, Carrick, Nani, Valencia, Rooney, Hernandez.

What I want to do,

The target at the end of my education is to become a member of the press in any shape or form. I found out the stress and strains of the job in a local form last week attending 3 days of unpaid work at the local paper in Stoke.

Reporting on a high profile game is more difficult than you think, which is something I also found out in shadowing the reporters for the Stoke v FC thun game on Thursday night. I realise you have to be able to take in the in-depth detail of the game and put the structure of the piece together at the same time along with socialising with the local press officers and fans of yours who see it their job to distract you at any possible opportunity - it can't be easy!
Being a huge sports fan and enjoying my English at school is the general reason for aiming for the logical reason of the journalism category and really before the start of last week I saw it as a purely pleasurable experience. However, although it doesn't put me off at all  of sticking to my targets I see that in all forms - from local to national press - the task of producing various articles to a high standard and on time is a mighty fine product which generally we take for granted as mere consumers of the papers. I struggle with producing an article at this stage without the guidance of my dad or a teacher so this has really increased my respect for the guys!
From the reporters who I've met they all seem to ignore the pressure , which is clearly something I've taken in as I've watched them at work and they have the ability to switch on and off as they please, which is a talent in its' self.
So, I'll conclude here for now and say thank you greatly to the stoke sentinel and I realise I've got a lot of work to do to get where I want to be.

The beginning and the end.

 An emotional end comes to my junior cricket career, and I thank Bagnall Cricket club for providing that chance.






Congleton Town FC have decided to sign me and so an exciting year ahead as I start my final season in junior football.

Report of recent weeks.

After a few weeks of not blogging, I thought I'd update my posts just to provide an insight into the stress and strains, along with the highs and lows of my last 3 weeks. Whether it's my cricket or my education, it certainly slots in with the 'peaks and troughs' cliché.
So, where can I start? Cricket: 3 weeks ago Bagnall CC played Norton in the u17s league. Up against the likes of Jack Wagstaff (Waggy), Joel Staton (Mozz) and Sean Reeves-Jones (Curls) we fought a highly competitive game. The game was packed full of controversy and good cricket with Norton ending up on around 140 all out. Bagnall, at the u17s level, did not win a game in the league in the previous season and so this was a must win game in a fight to turn the tables of last season. We lost a couple of early wickets however Tom Gordon (56) and myself (40) put on a quick fire 100-partnership to see the team to our second win of the season, to put it simply, we were buzzing to beat our rivals but also our mates. Amongst some less decent senior team matches, last week we played Knypersley, a notoriously decent side who usually contend for the title. We knew it would be a tough test however; we tried to go in with a positive mentality. So, mentality, that didn't really send us where we wanted to go as Knypersley posted 248-5 from only 24 overs leaving us to bat 40 overs. We saw that clearly we weren't going to win the game so Josh Jeynes (37) and myself (86*) batted through the game seeing us finish on 176-3 and epic result for us which felt like a victory. This week there was no game for the u17s and I was run-out on Saturday, not of my own fault and we lost the game.
Education: Exams seem to have taken over the world in recent weeks with GCSE's, AS-Levels and A-Levels all taking place. I have had 5 AS-Levels which have been a tough, however they have now passed and I feel I need to look to the future rather than reflecting on the past.
Life is good and there is always somebody worse.

Why is he so special?

Why is Pete Doherty such a popular man? I really can't see it after witnessing a performance of his last night, where I can only really describe him as a man with a guitar. As a gig, yeah it was a good night out, however, no thanks to the 'star of the show'. I am not a lifelong follower of his, like many I witnessed within the venue and therefore I would not have any biased towards him whatsoever.
So, what makes him so popular, that tens of thousands of fanatical people know every word to every song of his, to the extent that they know his songs better than Pete does himself? Is it the fact it's now cool to take life-destroying drugs? Is it the fact he's a total mess and that's now 'in fashion'? Or is it just luck that he's been chosen by a group of people which has grown drastically like a flock of sheep. It may be the fact that he has been a member of two relatively successful bands or that he has been a partner of model- Kate Moss. Is that it?
I'm really not too sure. The conclusion that I'm going to come to is that he's a clever lad, 7 A*'s at GCSE and 2 A's at A-level surely can't mean that its pure luck that he's got to where he is but I believe that all of his life events, public or private, have fallen in the right places at the right times, leaving him with a strong fan base, a mess of a life and a set of songs which will make him money by turning up and strumming a guitar, whether he sings or not.

Oh the irony!

Yes, oh the irony! Turning up at the cricket ground I was meant to be playing at on Sunday, on Tuesday, I really did not expect to end up driving across the city to be turned away again. But, as I’m sure you have gathered from my tone, I did end up driving the total 26 miles to and from Newcastle and Hartshill Cricket club without a game of cricket. Short but sweet I tried to make it, you may hear from me again as I attempt to play at the same ground for the 3rd time in 5 days. Fingers crossed, hey?

There's someone worse!

Slaving over revision today for AS level exams, I feel so sorry for myself to be trapped inside my house on a day where I could be doing anything else BUT revision. However, looking through facebook I find condolance messages all over a profile of a 19 year-old who hit a tree at 7am this morning with two lads in the car who are severely injured in hospital. Tragedy. A life lost and two on the edge, it really makes you see how lucky you are to only have the worry of revision or of whether i'll perform in my next match, compared to those families who are in intensive care hoping, or those who have lost a son or brother. Rest in Peace Joe Johnson.