Steven Gerrard winner sends QPR closer to relegation
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/05/2015 at 16:32 GMT
Premier League, Anfield – Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 19, Gerrard 87) QPR 1 (Fer 73)
Steven Gerrard celebrates doing something great for Liverpool
Image credit: Reuters
Steven Gerrard saw a late penalty saved by Robert Green before heading a dramatic winner three minutes from time as Liverpool beat QPR 2-1.
Liverpool went into the break a goal to the good through Philippe Coutinho’s excellently taken strike but a Leroy Fer equaliser looked to have rescued an unlikely point.
Gerrard then squandered a golden chance to put Liverpool back in front, Green saving his spot kick after Nedum Onuoha pulled back Dejan Lovren in the box.
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Steven Gerrard reacts after having a penalty saved against QPR
Image credit: Reuters
But after Onuoha saw red for a second bookable offence, Liverpool pressed for the winner and Gerrard headed home to pile further pressure on QPR.
The Londoners are now seven points from safety but Liverpool remain fifth in the table, four points behind Manchester United.
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Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring for Liverpool while QPR's Joey Barton sits on the turf
Image credit: AFP
KEY MOMENTS
19’ – GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 QPR: It’s a fifth of the season for Philippe Coutinho and a third against QPR as he collects Rickie Lambert’s pass inside the left edge of the box and curls in a trademark shot past Green and into the top corner.
29’ – PENALTY SHOUT LIVERPOOL: Sterling’s cross appears to catch Clint Hill’s arm in the box but Martin Atkinson waves away appeals.
40’ – GOOD SAVE GREEN: The QPR keeper flings himself across goal to parry out Steven Gerrard’s goalbound free kick.
73’ – GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 QPR: Leroy Fer puts his side back in it with an excellent volley from Barton’s corner.
79’ – PENALTY SAVE: Green guesses right to deny Gerrard from the spot.
81’ – ONUOHA SENT OFF: He sees red for a second bookable offence.
87’ – GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 QPR: It’s Gerrard to the rescue as he heads home the winner.
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Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring against QPR
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STATS
Steven Gerrard scores his 118th PL goal for Liverpool, equalling Michael Owen as the club's second leading PL scorer. Only Robbie Fowler (128) has scored more PL goals for Liverpool.
Philippe Coutinho scores his fifth PL goal of the season, equalling his PL goals tally for last season. He scores his third goal in this fixture (home/away) in the PL, moving him level with Luis Suárez and Ian Rush as the leading scorer in PL matches between Liverpool and QPR.
QPR score for the 10th consecutive PL away match. It is their best top flight away scoring streak since March to September 1987 (also 10 matches).
Infostrada
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Liverpool fans hold a protest banner: 'Where's our famous atmosphere?'
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TALKING POINT
Will that silence the dissenters? Anfield was not a happy place, with a light aircraft flying overhead calling for Brendan Rodgers' departure and fan banners inside the ground complaining about the corporatisation of the game. Whether a scrappy win over relegation battlers will be enough to quell those concerns is doubtful.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) Showed great character to come back from missing his spot kick to give Liverpool a win that keeps their Euro hopes alive.
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A plane flies over Anfield displaying the words: 'Rodgers Out Rafa In'
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PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Can 6, Skrtel 6, Lovren 7, Johnson 6, Gerrard 8, Henderson 7, Lallana 6, Sterling 6, Coutinho 7, Lambert 6. SUBS: Lucas 6, Ibe 7, Markovic 6.
QPR: Green 7, Onuoha 5, Dunne 6, Caulker 6, Hill 6, Phillips 7, Barton 6, Sandro 6, Henry 6, Fer 7, Austin 6. SUBS: Suk-Young 6, Zamora 7.
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