Coventry midfielder George Boateng inspired his side to a memorable victory
over on-song Liverpool in today's Premiership clash at Highfield Road.
He scored the Sky Blues' first goal and laid on the decisive second for Noel
Whelan to help his side away from the relegation zone.
Boateng's performance was in sharp contrast to the despair at what he felt was
a harsh sending-off for two bookable offences in last Saturday's FA Cup
encounter with Leicester at Filbert Street.
Gordon Strachan's side were full value for their victory as they halted a
Liverpool revival which had brought 13 points from their previous five games.
The midfield promptings of Gary McAllister and Boateng and the pace and
trickery of Darren Huckerby and Whelan gave the home side the edge for much of
the match.
Liverpool were not allowed to get into their stride against the hustling and
bustling and never-say-die spirit of Strachan's men, apart from a brief spell at
the start of the second half.
Steve McManaman, who yesterday broke the news he will be quitting Anfield in
the summer for Real Madrid, made it a heart-trembling last five minutes for the
home side when he reduced the arrears with four minutes left.
But it would have been an injustice had Coventry been denied all three points
on the balance of play over the 90 minutes.
Coventry dominated the opening 45 minutes, with new Liverpool signing Rigobert
Song quickly put under pressure along with the rest of his defensive
colleagues.
Whelan should have done better after Stephen Froggatt turned the ball back
into his path, but from the edge of the area he shot well wide.
Dominic Matteo then got in a vital block to deflect a fierce effort wide from
Boateng.
Liverpool goalkeeper David James came racing out of his area and made a hash
of trying to clear from Huckerby, but the Coventry striker's shot from a narrow
angle was easily cleared by Song.
Vegard Heggem was yellow-carded for holding back Huckerby after good play by
Boateng, and then Whelan had an effort disallowed for offside.
But the home side were unable to cash in on their territorial dominance, and
it was Patrik Berger who wasted the best chance of the first half in the opening
45 minutes.
Jamie Redknapp's crossfield ball found him in space on the left side of the
area. But, with only Magnus Hedman to beat, Berger fired past the post.
Little was seen in the opening 45 minutes of the much-vaunted Robbie
Fowler-Michael Owen strike force.
But Owen twice showed his potency in the opening minutes of the second half as
Liverpool showed more purpose.
First he shot across goal after outpacing Paul Williams and then clipped the
bar with a shot from the left hand side of the area after good play by Berger.
But after 59 minutes the Sky Blues broke the deadlock. James never came for a
left-wing centre from substitute Gary Breen, and in came Boateng to send a
diving header past the Liverpool goalkeeper.
McManaman, who is reported to have agreed a £15million deal with Madrid, was
introduced in the 68th minute - but four minutes later the Sky Blues had doubled
their lead.
This time Boateng was the creator with a precise, floated pass which found
Whelan - and he had all the time in the world to flick the ball past the exposed
James.
Liverpool were stunned, and James then had to pull off a superb save to turn a
rocket shot from Whelan around the post.
But McManaman set up a thrilling climax when he turned home Owen's pass.
Teams:
Coventry: Hedman, Nilsson (Breen 45), Burrows, Williams, Shaw,
McAllister, Boateng, Soltvedt, Froggatt, Huckerby, Whelan.
Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Gioacchino, Clement, Aloisi.
Goals: Boateng 60, Whelan 71.
Liverpool: James, Song (McManaman 68), Staunton (Gerrard 86),
Heggem, Matteo, Redknapp, Berger (Riedle 77), Ince, Bjornebye,
Fowler, Owen.
Subs Not Used: Friedel, Harkness.
Booked: Heggem, Song.
Goals: McManaman 86.
Att: 23,056
Ref: M Riley (Leeds).
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