Victorious Liverpool go back top
Dirk Kuyt grabbed a brace today
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Steven Gerrard is again unavailable for Liverpool for Saturday's clash with Hull City. |  |
Saturday, 25, Apr 2009 08:44
Liverpool went back to the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 3-1 win away against Hull City at the KC Stadium.
The title chasers took the lead with a cracking shot from Xabi Alonso. They looked to be in total command when Hull had Caleb Folan sent-off and then Dirk Kuyt made it 2-0.
But Hull fought back and grabbed an equaliser through Geovanni, before Kuyt made the points safe for Liverpool with his second goal late on.
Yossi Benayoun continued to deputise for the injured Steven Gerrard in the position off Fernando Torres and the Israeli has revelled in that role in recent games. It was from Benayoun's weaving run that led to Torres having a shot from eight yards which Boaz Myhill did well to save.
Hull more than held their own in the early stages of the match with Geovanni looking dangerous for the home side. The Brazilian unleashed a trademark long-range short which narrowly went wide of the Liverpool goal.
The Tigers showed great endeavour in the opening half, despite not really creating any real clear-cut chances. They however suffered a blow on the stroke of half-time when they fell behind to an Alonso goal.
The Spanish midfielder took a free-kick which hit the wall and came back to him, before thumping the ball past Myhill in the Hull goal. The goal was harsh on Hull as replays showed Javier Mascherano, who won the free-kick, was already on his way down before any contact was made.
Hull's hopes of getting anything from the game looked to be all over in the space of five second-half minutes. First they lost Caleb Folan after he was sent-off for stupidly kicking out at Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.
Liverpool were two up four minutes later when a miscued shot from Skrtel perfectly found Kuyt who headed home for the goal.
Despite being a man down, Hull continued to fight and grabbed a goal back. Daniel Cousin pulled the ball back for Geovanni and he slotted the ball past Pepe Reina from eight yards out. The KC Stadium suddenly exploded into life and Hull went in search of an unlikely equaliser.
But it was Liverpool who continued to look dangerous and they hit the bar through a header from Torres, before they wrapped up the points late on thanks to a second goal from Kuyt, who found the back of the net with a shot from 10 yards out.