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liverpool’s young stars have given the reds a thumping 3-1 victory over psv eindhoven in the netherlands overnight. although a dead rubber, since liverpool have already qualified, the anfield squad headed into the game hopeful of finishing on top of the group, ensuring an easier draw during the knockout stages.

liverpool did it in style, thanks to a commanding performance by their young gun players.

the reds looked unsettled in the first half, with few passes finding their mark. psv too made a poor start, but were rewarded with the first goal after mascherano failed to clear the ball. babel equalised in first half injury time with a downward header into the bottom left corner. although not a powerful header, the shot was deflected at an angle that was awkward and almost impossible for psv’s keeper to save.

liverpool were a much better side in the second half and came out looking for more goals. they almost got immediate results when babel chose to shoot instead of pass to an unmarked keane. reira though was the one to break the deadlock. surging into psv’s half, the winger released a cracking left footer from 20 yards out, taking the keeper completely by surprise with its pace, and finding the back of the net.

ngog, another of liverpool’s up and coming stars, also got into the goals after a good run by keane down the right wing found ngog, who outran his marker and shot at a difficult angle past the keeper toward the far post. liverpool might have scored a fourth after keane again provided a good ball to lucas who missed a very good chance.

the win puts the reds on top of their group, after marseille held athletico madrid to a goalless draw. that means liverpool will have the luxury of facing a second place team in the knockout draw. currently, liverpool could face inter milan or sporting lisbon. however four more games will be played tonight. the most dangerous group for liverpool is group H, featuring juventus and real madrid. both sides have qualified, but now it’s just a race to see which side will finish on top.

liverpool now return to anfield as they prepare to face hull and continue their race to stay on top of the premier league.

both liverpool and chelsea have blown their chances to take the outright lead over the premier league. liverpool hosted fulham and chelsea hosted newcastle. both home teams were favourites to win their respective matches, however they were frustrated by strong defending and poor finishing.

the reds started without playmakers gerrard (injured) and alonso (benched). torres started but is still getting back to match fitness after an injury.

liverpool didn’t make much of a start in the first half. the players looked tired from midweek international games. liverpool’s passing was sloppy and they allowed fulham too much time on the ball. the reds were forced to defend and gave the visitors a few chances to score.

at the other end keane rarely looked like troubling the defense, but torres made some good runs. however it was keane who had the best chance of the half, his shot heroically blocked by fulham’s aussie keeper mark schwarzer.

the second half was a better affair for the home team. liverpool started to get forward more and alonso’s introduction saw a marked improvement in liverpool’s passing. kuyt had a terrific shot which was also parried away by schwarzer.

the liverpool fans were howling for lucas levia to be substituted off. the young brazilian wasn’t having a good game and gave away too many balls in the midfield. however, he played the full match, with kuyt and riera coming off for babel and el zhar. a better substitution would have been to bring off levia for benayoun, who has been complaining about his lack of games for liverpool. tonight would have been a perfect chance to give him some decent time on the pitch.

as the game headed towards full time, liverpool’s intensity increased. however, the reds couldn’t break down fulham’s defense and find a goal that would give them all three points.

at stanford bridge, chelsea racked up 33 shots on goal to newcastle’s 2 shots. the blues pitched tents in newcastle’s half and spent the game taking pot shots at goal. considering the talent in chelsea’s squad, it’s a huge victory to newcastle to hold them out.

in other games, manchester city are proving their rise to power with a solid 3-0 victory over arsenal. the gunners are having a bad season (by their own standards) and wenger is under enormous pressure to get results … and poor old sheffield wednesday still can’t get a win, going down 0-1 to coventry. the owls have only won 1 of their last 7 matches. their next three games are against lowly ranked blackpool, norwich and southampton. here’s hoping sheffield wednesday find some form.

manchester united, with two games to play, now have a chance to cut back the gap between themselves and liverpool/cheslea.

the reds, meanwhile, turn their attention to the midweek game against marseille. a win or draw will guarantee progress to the champions league knockout stages. next sunday liveprool travel to west ham to begin their all important run through christmas.

update: manchester united also drew, missing a golden opportunity to catch the liverpool and chelsea.

rafael benitez and the liverpool squad are celebrating their first league win over manchester united since the spanish coach took over at anfield. manchester have had the better of liverpool with 3 wins and one draw in past encounters. united traveled to the merseyside without cristiano ronaldo. for liverpool, captain steven gerrard and star striker fernando torres.

last night’s game in front of the kop looked to go in manchester’s favour, after tevez scored in the 3rd minute. new signing berbatov made a good start, finding space down the right. his late cross was missed by all of liverpool’s defenders and tevez, being in the perfect position, claimed an easy goal.

babel scores the winning goal while keane (#7) watches the ball pass over his head

liverpool’s confidence buckled and manchester had the better possession and looked to take control of the game. however, luck was in the reds’ favour. some sloppy keeping by namchester resulted in an own goal, after a palmed ball deflected off defender wes brown and rolled back into goal. liverpool were back in the game at 1-1. the kop found their voice and the players found some attacking form. despite growing possession by liverpool, both teams went into the break at 1-1.

the second half was all liverpool. the reds put together good passes and started to seriously threaten manchester’s goal. kuyt was denied from close range, keane had a penalty call denied, and benayoun missed a good chance, drilling the ball wide of the goal. manchester tried to rally, but their star players were not playing the commanding football that saw manchester win the premier league and champions league last season. gerrard came on for liverpool and babel also came on to replace debutant reira.

some good set up work by keane on the left recovered the ball when giggs tried to shepherd it out for a goal kick. keane passed to kuyt who crossed to an unmarked babel. his shot drilled into the net giving liverpool the lead. manchester again tried to rally, but when vidic was sent off for his second yellow card, there was nothing left united could do. the whistle blew, the elation on the players’ and fans’ faces was enormous.

liverpool remain 2nd, tied on points with 1st place chelsea, but behind on goal difference. manchester united are in 13th place, having only managed 4 points so far from 3 games. arsenal are nipping at liverpool’s heals on 9 points (3rd place) and hull, the new boys, are doing surprisingly well in 4th place, despite their -3 goal difference.

liverpool head to france to face olympique marseille on wednesday in their first champions league group match. gerrard may run on, depending on his recovery, but torres is still unknown.

in this morning’s champion’s league group draw, most teams could confess that they’re happy with the results. however liverpool, as usual, seem destined to pull out the toughest possible combination of clubs. in this year’s champion’s league group phase, the reds will face psv eindhoven, olympique de marseille and athletico madrid. although liverpool should come through that group on top, it’s definitely the trickiest group and points will be extremely valuable … i predict a fair few draws.

in other groups, man united face celtic and villareal (another tricky group) … while my boys from bremen have been grouped with the very scary inter milan. however, werder bremen’s group also has greek team panathinaikos and cyprus minnows anorthosis famagusta fc. bremen are a good chance of reaching knockouts. group h features real madrid and juventus, which should produce some excellent football.

this year the groups are more evenly distributed, with the true heavyweights managing to avoid each other. it also means, come knockout stages, that there will be some tough clashes. this year’s champions league may be the toughest yet … despite the absence of six times champions ac milan.

i’ve come to the conclusion that liverpool are not a threat until they’ve got their backs to the wall … they do it almost every time. most people remember the famous comeback in istanbul against ac milan. but few people remember that liverpool needed 4 goals against olympiakos to progress through the group stages a few years ago … or the three goal deficit to west ham before we won the fa cup.

and it appears that the reds are doing it again. liverpool are dead last in their champions league group and need to win all three games to qualify for the knockouts. after a dismal performance away to besiktas, liverpool turned it on when they hosted the turkish side at anfield.

although the game started slowly, and besiktas almost scored the first goal, liverpool roared into life by scoring two first half goals. crouch had a shot denied, before he got the opening goal with his second attempt. benayoun then scored and liverpool went into the break up 2-0.

the second half started much as the first half finished, with benayoun scoring two more goals. riise and gerrard both fired shots at the besiktas keeper. both times the keeper feebly parried the shots into the path of the marauding benayoun, who duly nailed both goals, and finished with a much deserved hattrick. gerrard got into the action, unleashing a thunderbolt that the keeper was helpless to stop. then babel, working off benayoun for a sneaky back healed goal. babel was rewarded again when a ball, deflecting off him, also went into goal and he was credited with the strike.

crouch had the honours of finishing the game with the final goal, from another benayoun cross.

liverpool are in a better position now, despite porto also winning their game against marseille. porto now top the group, but if liverpool win both of their remaining matches, we’re guaranteed of progressing.

the hard work still isn’t over for liverpool … porto and marseille will be tough matches. for the next two weeks, however, liverpool can concentrate on turning around their domestic results with a home game against fulham this weekend and away to newcastle next weekend.