Gerrard spot-on for Liverpool

12 April 2012

It needed a Steven Gerrard penalty to make sure Liverpool did not waste the tremendous victory they achieved at Chelsea at the weekend as they saw off spirited Portsmouth 1-0.

That win put Liverpool top of the Barclays Premier League, and a slip-up would have been a disaster for the Anfield men.

Tony Adams, in his first match in command of Pompey following Harry Redknapp's departure, saw his side push Liverpool all the way.

But Gerrard's spot-kick with 15 minutes left kept Liverpool top and extended their unbeaten run to 16 matches this season.

Liverpool made four changes from the side that claimed top spot in the Premier League by beating Chelsea on Sunday with Sami Hyypia, Jermaine Pennant, Ryan Babel and Lucas coming into the side.

New Pompey boss Tony Adams also made changes from the side that drew with Fulham last time out, with Jermain Defoe and Richard Hughes on the bench and former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch on his own up front.

After 10 minutes Pennant and Alvaro Arbeloa combined to find Dirk Kuyt just outside the box, and his fierce low drive was superbly turned away and onto a post by David James.

Lucas saw a header fly over the bar and Xabi Alonso sent a 20-yarder swerving wide of the left-hand post.

Pompey took the edge from Liverpool's approach play but after 75 minutes the hosts got their breakthrough. Hyypia's header from Fabio Aurelio's corner was goalbound before Bouba Diop threw two arms into the flight of the ball.

Referee Steve Tanner booked the Pompey midfielder and pointed to the spot, before Gerrard drove home the penalty and sealed the points.

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