Stevie Wonder
‘SO, all four English clubs have qualified for the next stage of the Champions League but it is Liverpool who take the plaudits this morning.
| The man in red |
Having fallen 1-0 behind to Olympiakos at Anfield last night, the Reds needed to score three times to keep their European dreams alive.
And in a pulsating second half they did just that, victory capped by a 25-yard screamer from Steven Gerrard, which the England midfielder describes as the best goal of his life.
Stevie Wonder let fly in the last few minutes to cap what the Mail describes as one of the greatest European nights in the history of the famous stadium.
And it was a goal which the Star says has boosted hopes of him remaining at Anfield.
Did I ever think we were down and out? I would be a liar if I said no, he admitted afterwards. At times I thought that scoring three goals against them would be a mountain to climb.
My goal was the most important one I have ever scored for Liverpool and I am just glad for the fans that it has taken us into the last 16.
There Liverpool will either meet one of the three Italian qualifiers the two Milans and Juventus or Bayer Leverkusen or Lyon.
Despite topping their groups, Arsenal and Chelsea looks to have a harder draw they could meet Real Madrid or Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen or one of Porto and PSV.
One set of fans who are not so happy this morning are those at Portsmouth.
Pompeys best-known fan John Westwood tells the Sun that Harry Redknapp has knifed supporters in the back by joining bitter rivals Southampton.
What hes done is unbelievable, he says. One minute he says its hard leaving the best fans in the country, then hes knifing us in the back.
He knows how much the clubs loathe each other, so to go there as manager beggars belief.
What kind of loyalty Redknapp is supposed to owe to Pompey or his former chairman Milan Mandaric we dont know, but there is little sign of the row dying down.
In fact, its likely to get worse before it gets better as the Mirror announces that Redknapp intends to try to lure Kevin Bond, his No.2 at Fratton Park, to St Marys.
No such problems in South Africa where Englands cricketers got their tour off to a perfect start with a comfortable win against a Nicky Oppenheimer XI.
The only clouds were the ones overhead and the question of who should bat at No.3 in the first Test.
Mark Butcher is back to full fitness, but Robert Key did his case for retaining the spot a lot of good with a run-a-ball 87 in an opening stand of 167 with Marcus Trescothick.
And crickets own Stevie Wonder Steve Harmison showed his class with seven overs for just eight runs…’
Posted: 9th, December 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
