Source: Telegraph
Reading 1 Liverpool 1: match report
Liverpool have developed a real gift for making things difficult for themselves this season and if they are to salvage anything this campaign it will be in spite of themselves. Having come from a goal down against an enthusiastic but fragile Reading, this game was theirs for the taking. [LNB]Even with the final whistle imminent a time when Rafael Benitez's teams have traditionally delivered Fernando Torres could not quite steer his header below the bar to find victory. What has happened to that Benitez touch? [LNB] Related ArticlesFA Cup third round resultsMiddlesbrough 0 Manchester City 1Tottenham 4 Peterborough 0Aston Villa 3 Blackburn Rovers 1Sunderland 3 Barrow 0Everton 3 Carlisle United 1Reading, hardly enjoying a vintage campaign themselves, fought hard for this and a trip to Anfield will bring welcome further distraction from what has been an irredeemably grim season in Berkshire. Had they found a better final delivery from wide areas in the final minutes, they might have even secured a place in the fourth round. [LNB]Benitez knows that this is his team's best chance of silverware in this bleak season and that was reflected in the selection of a strong attacking team, with both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres included. [LNB]There was no surprise then that Liverpool looked menacing going forward in the early exchanges, Fabio Aurelio and David Ngog wasting half-decent chances. [LNB]There was even a glimpse of the Gerrard and Torres of last season. Torres flicked the ball over his own head to escape his marker to find Gerrard who hit a terrific first-time pass in behind the Reading defence. [LNB]It came down to a straight race between Aurelio and Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici. The latter won, but so accurate was the pass that it lured him out of his box as he gathered, handling the ball outside. [LNB]Unfortunately for Gerrard, his free kick from what should have been a dangerous position lacked the distinction of the excellent pass that had won it. [LNB]Reading looked dangerous going forward, too, though. Grzegorz Rasiak headed the ball into the net only for the referee to blow for a fairly obvious foul by Simon Church. [LNB]There was nothing subtle about Martin Skrtel's challenge on Gylfi Sigurdsson either the Slovakian seemed to grab a fistful of shirt and was lucky to escape conceding a penalty. [LNB]The goal that Reading's lively start had threatened arrived on 24 minutes. Jobi McAnuff was fouled by Emiliano Insua on the Reading right a challenge for which the Liverpool player was booked and Reading loaded the box for the set-piece. [LNB]Ryan Betrand, on loan from Chelsea, sent in a deep free kick to the far post where Rasiak managed to squeeze it back across goal - just before it went out of play and straight to the feet of Simon Church. The Wales striker just had to let the ball bounce in off him. [LNB]Kuyt didn't even have to do that for Liverpool's equaliser. With nine minutes left of the half, the Dutchman timed a run into the box to perfection, anticipating Gerrard's in-swinging cross but stepped over the ball completely, watching as it shot past a startled Federici and in at the far post. [LNB]Reading's confidence is not exactly high at the moment - five games without a win will do hat to you and Liverpool seemed to sense the vulnerability their equaliser had created. They attacked down their left especially potently Brynjar Gunnarsson is really a central midfielder and kept losing track of Aurelio. The Brazilian missed his third good chance of the first half when Kuyt played him just before the break. [LNB]Half-time acted as a sedative and it was pretty timmid stuff for the 10 minutes after the break. Then the Reading fans began to find their voice. Steve Coppell, the manager who led them into the Premier League, was back at the Madejski stadium as a tv pundit and they sang nostalgically in favour of having him back. Brian McDermott is the caretaker manager while [LNB]John Madejski looks to replace the sacked Brendan Rodgers, but surely Coppell won't want to return so soon after calling it a day. [LNB]The singing certainly gave the Reading players a bit of a lift they even had Liverpool nervous when Sigurdsson cut in from the left, wriggled around Gerrard and shot powerfully, an effort that Reina dived to save. Just after the hour mark, Church's driven, low cross was too quick for Reina - but no Reading player had gambled. [LNB]It was the same story at the other end 10 minutes later when Torres' teasing cross had Ben Hamer hesitating Reading's reserve keeper was on after Federici appeared to hurt a hamstring - and from the following corner the away fans thought they bhad the winner but Hamer had been fouled as a pack of Liverpool players tried to bundle him in with the ball. [LNB]If he had made a shaky start he did well to close down an onrushing Torres moments later thanks largely to an uncharacteristically heavy touch from the Spain striker. It sort of summed Liverpool up, that. [LNB]
