A lone headed goal from defender Michael Dawson has taken Hull City a step away from relegation, while Liverpool’s hopes of returning to the Champions League are all but over.
Hull started brightly and forced Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet into plenty of action early to no avail, while Liverpool lacked the killer punch in attack. They could only offer tame shots at Hull City goal, and when Mario Balotelli left Dawson onside to score the game’s only goal it epitomised a lacklustre season for the Reds.
Hull show some fight in relegation battle
With Chelsea having one hand on the premiership, eyes have turned to the annual last minute fight to avoid relegation. Leicester City have won four on the trot, 12th placed Crystal Palace are still mathematically a chance of going down and now Hull City have defeated Europe chasing Liverpool.
The Tigers showed plenty of hunger against the Reds and their second consecutive win sees them four points away from the drop zone. Deadline day signing Dame N’Noye has provided a spark that Steve Bruce was missing in the first half of the season as he fought and won duals against the duo of Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren.
The win could have been bigger if it was not for the heroics of Mignolet, but with a run home that features Arsenal, Tottenham and a final day match against Manchester United, they will take the three points however they can.
Liverpool’s Champions League hopes dashed
All Liverpool had to do was take maximum points away from West Bromwich Albion and Hull City and with no disrespect to those two clubs, those were two games Liverpool should be winning, especially with what is on the line. If they had won both matches they would currently sit two points behind Manchester United in fourth place with as many games to spare. With home matches against QPR and Crystal Palace in the coming weeks, last season’s runners up could have been in pole position to steal the elusive fourth Champions League spot away from their arch rivals.
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Brendan Rodgers’ men failed to do so and they now lie seven points behind United with a similar run home, except the Red Devils now have some leeway.
A great club such as Liverpool should be fighting to make the world’s biggest continental competition year in year out, but this lost has put a huge dent in their hopes as they now must win their remaining games and hope other results go their way.
Transfer window can’t open sooner for Brendan Rodgers
Stats do not lie. Liverpool need a new striker. Over the past two matches they have managed 35 shots on goal. They have scored zero goals. Last season they netted 101 goals, compared to the 47 they have this season. Last season’s leading men Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have either departed the club or spent most of this season on the sidelines. The 18-time English champions have not only missed their presence, but also their aura. Gone is the intensity of last season and the fear factor they had over opposition sides. New signings Rickie Lambert and Balotelli have only netted three times between them and the Northern Irish manager can not afford another season of flop signings.
On more than one occasion Harper fumbled a shot, but had time to recover without much trouble from Balotelli. The former Manchester City and AC Milan forward missed a golden chance right on half-time from a Glen Johnson pass. The forwards are not getting in the right position and is it time for Liverpool to seek out another predator if they are to return to the heights they reached last season.
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