Source: Liverpool_Echo
Stoke City 1 Liverpool FC 1 - Dominic King on a cruel finish at the Brittania Stadium
CRUEL ENDING AT BRITANNIA[LNB]SYMPATHY for supporters on Wednesday, pity for players on Saturday - the rollercoaster of emotions triggered by Liverpool's season of woe has come full circle.[LNB]Having received huge flak for a performance of utter ineptitude when Reading sent them tumbling out of the FA Cup, many questioned whether Rafa Benitez's demoralised squad had the reserves of power to haul themselves off the canvas so quickly after that debacle.[LNB]It has been a long time since Liverpool Football Club has experienced a period of such depression and certain observers were right to wonder whether the squad and manager could withstand any more crushing setbacks.[LNB]Had they been of brittle nature - as the vast majority of their critics suspected - the Reds would have crumbled at Stoke City's noisy, atmospheric home; they would not have coped with the power and aerial prowess which has made Tony Pulis' side so effective.[LNB]Just when it was needed, though, Liverpool produce a show of strength to suggest maybe they can salvage something from the ruins of this campaign; for commitment alone, they deserved to rule at The Britannia following Sotirios Kyrgiakos' first goal for the club.[LNB]Instead, however, it was a case of Cruel Britannia. If ever a game summed up the way Liverpool's season has dipped and dived this was it - just when they were poised to lift the gloom, one late slip let Robert Huth unravel all their hard work.[LNB]Liverpool, we must point out, did not leave Stoke spinning with slick passing and movement, nor did they fashion a bundle of chances to promote the feeling they were desperately unlucky.[LNB]Thomas Sorensen - whose jittery performance showed why Pulis is looking to sign another goalkeeper - was hardly overworked and nor did he have to make save after save after save to keep Liverpool at bay.[LNB]But the aspect which pleased most about this doughty performance was Liverpool's under-fire footballers showed their fans, who once again travelled in huge numbers, and the wider world that they care.[LNB]Benitez may have picked a starting line-up that had even the most optimistic soul fearing the worst, but from the moment indefatigable captain Jamie Carragher beckoned his 10 colleagues into a huddle before kick-off, there was a sense of solace.[LNB]Everywhere you looked, it was evident to see men working tirelessly to restore pride; from the back four, where Carragher excelled, to the relentless running of Lucas, Fabio Aurelio and Dirk Kuyt, the desire they showed struck a chord.[LNB]With a bit more composure, they could have won this game in a canter as Stoke, for all their huff and puff, were limited.[LNB]What might have happened had Lee Mason pointed to the penalty spot in the 24th minute when Lucas - a player who is not known for amateur dramatics - saw his surge into the box crudely halted by Danny Higginbotham, we can only speculate.
