Rafael Benitez’s name may have been on everyone’s lips in the build-up to Liverpool’s clash but a goal, an assist and a bite on Branislav Ivanovic ensured Luis Suarez grabbed the headlines in a 2-all draw on Sunday. A first-half header from Oscar with twenty minutes on the clock gave the visitors the lead before Daniel Sturridge, a half-time substitute, netted shortly after coming on. Chelsea quickly responded, with a handball by Luis Suarez in the penalty area setting up Eden Hazard to convert from the spot before Suarez fired home in the final moments of the game. Brendan Rodgers made one change to the Liverpool side which was held by Reading last weekend, bringing in Stewart Downing for Daniel Sturridge, whilst former Reds boss Benitez offered a return to Anfield to his compatriot Fernando Torres. The hosts started the game brightly, pushing high-up the pitch and applying pressure on the back four, with Glen Johnson swinging a ball across the face of goal from the right-wing, with the advancing Philippe Coutinho arriving into the box a fraction of a second too late to make contact. It was Johnson who was the catalyst for Liverpool’s second chance of the game, too, with the England International breaking quickly through the middle, playing a quick one-two with Luis Suarez before going cler on goal and hitting his low effort wide. Chelsea’s first real effort on target came with just under 20 minutes on the clock as Ramires forced a save out of Pepe Reina, who punched away the effort from the Brazilian after what had been a slow start in front of goal for the visitors. Five minutes later the visitors took the lead, with Oscar heading into the back of the net from around six yards out, with the Brazilian latching on to a well placed corner from Juan Mata, with veteran centre-half Jamie Carragher unable to get close to the 21 year-old. There was little in the way of a reaction from the hosts following the goal, with both teams struggling to create real chances. Liverpool’s best chance came as Luis Suarez got a rare sight of goal but saw his efort well-saved by Petr Cech. The start of the second-half saw Liverpool come out all guns blazing, with Daniel Sturridge, who came on for Coutinho during the break, making a run down the right before teeing up Steven Gerrard, who forced a miraculous save by Cech. Gerrard came close again moments later from a corner before Sturridge shot from distance and saw his effort rattle the bar, with Liverpool looking considerably more decisive than they did during the opening 45 minutes. The Reds got their rewards for their early second-half efforts, with Suarez playing an inch-perfect pass into the path of Sturridge, who had been central to Liverpool’s attacking play since coming on, placing his shot low past Cech. But Sturridge’s goal was quickly cancelled out by Chelsea, with Luis Suarez handling the ball in the box from a corner, with the referee pointing to the spot and Eden Hazard converting the kick, sending Reina the wrong way before slotting calmly into the bottom left corner. The games biggest controversy came as Suarez and Ivanovic collided in the box, with the Uruguayan forward, evidenced by video replays, seemingly biting into the elbow of the defender, which could force the Football Association to take further action. With ten minutes remaining both managers decided to make changes, with former Red Yossi Benayoun replacing Hazard whilst Jonjo Shelvey came in for Liverpool, with Rodgers opting to take off Stewart Downing. Shelvey was involved immediately, though not necessarily how he may have wanted, with the midfielder picking up a yellow card for a rash tackle on Oscar, which forced the Brazilian off the field, with Benitez deciding to replace him with Victor Moses. Liverpool left it late to bring themselves back level, but in the last minute of stoppage time Daniel Sturridge tee’d up Luis Suarez who fired home his 30th goal of the season to earn the Reds a point.

A news article on 2013-04-21 16:59:00 from: The Anfield Opinion

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