Liverpool 5-0 Birmingham

Maxi Rodriguez scored a hat-trick as Liverpool kept up their pursuit of a Europa League place by hammering Birmingham at Anfield.
The home side took control with two first-half goals, both neat close-range finishes from Rodriguez and Dirk Kuyt.
The Argentine winger volleyed in his second goal from a few yards out to kill the game just after the hour.
He then sealed his hat-trick with a low drive and substitute Joe Cole added the flourish with a shot that snuck in.
The result is a testimony to the optimism around Anfield these days, in stark contrast to the on and off-field gloom that characterised the respective reigns of former manager Roy Hodgson and ex-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
There is a vibrancy about Liverpool's play under Kenny Dalglish - which was evident from the kick-off here through crisp passing and purposeful movement - and real intent in the boardroom, if reports of a £25m kit deal with American sportswear company Warrior prove accurate.
Qualification for the Europa League remains a possibility, with the club now trailing fifth-placed Tottenham by three points, having played a game more.
Dalglish has willingly thrust a number of promising youth-side players into the first team of late.
In the continued absence of talismanic midfielder Steven Gerrard, Jay Spearing again started here, while Jack Robinson stepped in for the injured Fabio Aurelio as part of a teenage full-back pairing with John Flanagan.
All three provided performances that belied their relative inexperience, with Spearing in particular an authoritative presence in the middle of the park.
He played a vital role in the first goal, a seventh-minute body blow to Birmingham, who afterwards never looked likely to achieving the win manager Alex McLeish feels they need to secure somewhere their Premier League safety.
Spearing unleashed a venomous shot from 25 yards which goalkeeper Ben Foster allowed to slip from his grasp to the onrushing Rodriguez, who made no mistake with a close-range side-foot finish.
It would have been interesting to see how Liverpool might have responded had the sliding Cameron Jerome converted Stephen Carr's near-post cross to bring Birmingham level, but the striker failed to connect and the home side doubled their lead not long after.
Kuyt began and finished the move at the third time of asking, firstly flicking on to Suarez and finally slotting home after Foster had saved from Suarez and also the Dutchman's first effort.
During his valiant attempts to prevent Kuyt's goal - the Dutchman's seventh in his last six league matches - the impressive Foster injured himself and after briefly soldiering on had to be replaced with substitute keeper Colin Doyle, making his first league appearance of the season.
The Irishman performed his first task well, saving a Suarez shot low down after the Uruguayan had ignored a well-placed Kuyt to shoot from 15 yards just before half time.
However, he was powerless to do anything about Liverpool's third which, despite their leisurely approach to the second half, always seemed more likely than a Birmingham goal.
Last defender Carr's attempts to play Suarez offside from Martin Skrtel's long ball forward failed and, after advancing down the right, the Uruguayan had time to pick out Maxi at the far post for a straight-forward volleyed finish.
Maxi completed his treble with a low drive that rifled in at Doyle's near post after his initial shot had been saved and Birmingham had failed to clear.
With five minutes remaining, Cole replaced Raul Meireles and, with his first contribution, cut in from the right and fired a low shot on goal that crept past the flailing Doyle at the near post to add an emphatic slant to Liverpool's first league win over Birmingham since May 2004.

Liverpool 2 - 2 Birmingham

Again my idol, Steven Gerrard comes to the rescue where he's a constant threat since he comes in.

A controversial penalty by Steven Gerrard salvaged a draw for Liverpool as their faltering season continued against Birmingham at Anfield.
Gerrard scored from the spot to make it 2-2 after David Ngog had appeared to dive over a Lee Carsley tackle.
Ngog had earlier put the Reds ahead when he smashed in a far-post volley but Christian Benitez levelled when he nodded in a well-worked set piece.
Cameron Jerome's 30-yard strike shocked the Reds before Gerrard's equaliser.
Birmingham were angered by referee Peter Walton's penalty decision as Carsley did not seem to have made any contact with Ngog.
But despite a half-fit Gerrard, who had only come on because of an injury to Albert Riera, slotting in from 12 yards the result will only heap further pressure on Reds manager Rafael Benitez.
It was a game Liverpool were expected to win to quell the unrest at Anfield but, instead, leaves the Reds flailing in seventh in the Premier League.
Liverpool's defensive solidity has been their strength during Benitez's reign but the foundations he has laid have been on rocky ground this season and again undermined their play.
The home side had taken a patient and calm approach to the match before gradually raising the tempo and taking the lead.
Glen Johnson was having plenty of joy down the right flank and, after weaving between two defenders, he pulled the ball back for Ngog, whose initial shot was saved by Joe Hart.
Hart scampered across his goal to fend away Dirk Kuyt's follow-up but the Blues keeper had no chance when Riera crossed to the far post for Ngog to smash a left-foot volley into the roof of the net.
The Reds were in control, only to let their weakness in defence allow the visitors back into a game they rarely looked like making an impact on.
Former Everton midfielder James McFadden swung a Blues free-kick to the far post and, after being headed on by Roger Johnson and Scott Dann, Christian Benitez nodded in from close range.
The goal gave Birmingham encouragement and the visitors had an extra air of belief about them as they repelled some concerted Liverpool pressure with the home side looking to re-establish their grip on the game.
Hart tipped over a 25-yard strike from Javier Mascherano before the Blues defence cleared a tamely-struck Lucas Leiva side-footed shot off the line.
Liverpool brought Gerrard on when Riera went off with a hamstring problem but their unfit captain could do little as the visitors took the lead in spectacular fashion.
Jerome controlled Dann's headed ball forward, fended off the irritation of Mascherano and unleashed a thunderous shot which dipped over keeper Reina.
The Reds piled on the pressure in response and it almost paid off, only for Gerrard to head a Johnson cross against the outside of the post from eight yards.
Birmingham defended in numbers with an admirable bravery which saw the particularly impressive centre-backs Dann and Roger Johnson flinging their bodies at crosses and shots to keep the home side at bay.
However, they conceded an equaliser in controversial circumstances as Gerrard, who looked a constant threat even when nursing his groin injury, sent Hart the wrong way from the spot.
The Anfield crowd were now staunchly behind their team and Ngog side-footed wide after Gerrard powered in a cross to the near post in an exciting finale.
However, a winner eluded the Reds and Benitez is still without a league victory over Birmingham in seven attempts.

Rafa simmers, Torres stews

Rafa Benitez fought his corner, as he always does, but a telling insight into the pre-match mood in Birmingham's dressing room ended any arguments about the wisdom of Fernando Torres being confined to the bench.
After costing £20million-plus from Atletico Madrid, Torres might reasonably have expected to spearhead Liverpool's attack more often than not, particularly in the quest for an elusive first Premier League title.
As further proof that predicting Benitez team selections is nigh on impossible, however, he found himself looking on for a second Saturday running as Liverpool succeeded only in leaving their title credentials open to derision.
Endeavour may be a virtue in Benitez's eyes, but making hard work of a side like Birmingham will do little to promote the theory that this may finally be their year.
In a response almost as predictable as his side's attempts to break down a stubborn blue barrier, the manager flatly refused to acknowledge he may have erred in resting Torres, even though the striker has all week to recharge his batteries given that he will surely be excused Carling Cup duty at Reading.
There was a hint of exasperation about his defence, not to mention desperation, as he tried to claim Andriy Voronin was better equipped than Torres for unpicking a massed defence.
"I say 100 times I know my players and when they are tired," he said. "It is easy to talk afterwards about whether I should have used one or the other, but the decision has to be taken before.
"If you have space, Torres would be the best bet of a goal, but there was never going to be any space.
"When you are looking at working between the lines, maybe Voronin is the best we have because his movement is so good.
"We had plenty of possession but very few chances and it is a problem we're going to have to address when teams come to defend."
Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor revealed how Torres' exclusion had provided the springboard for Birmingham's combative rearguard action.
"I was surprised I didn't have more to do and just as surprised Torres wasn't in their line-up," he said.
"They have other great strikers but we were pleased to learn we wouldn't have to cope with him. He is the main man and it gave us a lift."
Benitez's stance was further undermined by Torres's impact when he replaced Ryan Babel on the hour.
Ruffling Birmingham's defence like nobody had before, the Spain striker went close to a spectacular winner with a flying bicycle kick.
To compound Benitez's woes, he was warned to expect more Anfield
frustration as opposite number Steve Bruce mapped out the formula he expects visiting teams to adopt. "You can come here with a 4-4-2 system and have a nice open game if you like, but if you want something out of it you have to stick to your game plan," he said. "That means running a million miles like some of my defenders did and not giving Liverpool an inch."
When he wasn't being pilloried over players left out, Benitez was being grilled over one he selected - Steven Gerrard, no less, who appeared to be feeling the effects of his England exertions.
"It was not ideal that he played in both their recent games," said Benitez. "He is not 100 per cent fresh but the question is how important is Stevie for England? "You suggest it might be better for him not to play and people pick you up on it and say, 'Hey, this is the national team. Keep out of it.' You can't win, really."

Liverpool 0-0 Birmingham

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez left Fernando Torres out of his starting line-up and paid the price again as Birmingham earned a point at Anfield.
Torres looked a cut above the rest of Liverpool's strikers when he emerged on the hour, but Birmingham's defence had established the platform for a point.
John Arne Riise was just off target and Steven Gerrard's shot was kicked off the line in a lacklustre display.
Torres' over-head kick was inches over, but Birmingham deservedly held on.
Benitez surprisingly preferred Ryan Babel to £26m Torres, and his side lacked punch in the opening 45 minutes.
Riise posed the main danger with a shot across the face of goal and a rising shot off target.
Birmingham suffered a setback after 10 minutes when Borja Oubina, signed on loan from Celta Vigo, was stretchered off with what looked like a serious knee injury.
Former Birmingham winger Jermaine Pennant had a 20-yard drive turned over by Maik Taylor, but otherwise Steve Bruce's side survived in relative comfort.
Liverpool showed a greater purpose after the break, with Gerrard having a shot turned off the line by Mehdi Nafti following Pennant's corner.
Andriy Voronin saw a shot saved by Taylor before Torres was finally introduced for the disappointing Babel.
Peter Crouch was sent on with 17 minutes left in place of Voronin, but a moment of magic from Torres almost broke the deadlock.
The Spain striker produced a brilliant bicycle kick from Pennant's cross that flew only inches over the bar.
Birmingham had barely been seen as an attacking force, but Gary McSheffrey wasted a chance with 10 minutes to go, shooting wildly off target when well placed.
Torres' flick then set up Crouch in the area, but the England striker hesitated and Stephen Kelly produced a superb saving tackle.
· Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez:"I have four strikers, I played them all in the end.
"I felt that Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt were the type of striker I would have needed to work hard against a packed defence.
"The game was very frustrating, we tried to play wide, we tried to get the ball into the box and we did everything we could to break them down.
"In the end we ran out of ideas. The game was too narrow, it was too congested in the box and there was no space."
· Birmingham manager Steve Bruce:"We are their bogey side in league games and we aimed to continue that.
"We only had about three lads out there who had even been to Anfield before.
"As a club we have to love occasions like this, playing at venues like this, and we want to be back here next season.
"We know we are going to be one of the clubs loitering around the bottom of the table, and it is absolutely vital that we stay in the division."
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Pennant (Finnan 87), Gerrard, Mascherano, Babel (Torres 60), Kuyt, Voronin (Crouch 74).Subs Not Used: Itandje, Sissoko.
Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Djourou, Ridgewell, Queudrue, Larsson, Palacios (O'Connor 68), Nafti, Melendez (McSheffrey 13), Kapo, Jerome (Schmitz 80).Subs Not Used: Kingson, Forssell.
Booked: Ridgewell, McSheffrey.
Att: 44,215
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).