aku main bolaaaaaaaa!!!! part 1

aku suka sangat main bola..x kira laa main bola padang ke, futsal ke..semua aku main..aku ni memang gila bola laa hehe..hmm aku nak cerita macam mana aku boleh minat nak bermain bolani sebenarnye hehe...

aku ingat lagi masa aku darjah 1...aku masa tu sekolah kat SK pintas puding, kt parit raja, johor sana tu...huhu mase tu kitoran kan budak2 kecik lagi, so mane laa ade but bola lagi kan..aku ingat lagi kitorang selalu main bola dekat area parking untuk kereta2 cikgu hehe..bukan pakai bola pun, tapi pakai botol mineral yg kosong, tu laa jadi bola nye haha..tapi mase tu memang best..tiap2 hari masa rehat je, kitorang x makan pun, terus gi main bola..sepak2 botol tu..kejar2 botol tu..hahaha lawak2..cikgu banyak kali marah2 kitorang tapi pedulik ape kitorang kan..haha mase tu laa aku mula blajar cara main bola...

hehe..masa aku mula2 main bola, aku main defend je..ye laa nak jadi striker , x reti nak gol lagi aha..tapi bila darjah 2 je, aku cuba2 laa main striker..aku ingat lagi mase waktu PJ, kitorang main bola kat padang skolah laa...hari yang berejarah buat aku..sebab aku dapat jaringkan gol buat kali pertama dalam hidup aku hahahaha..gol tu pun nasib giler kot...aku ingat lagi si azhar ( mana ntah dia sekarang ) sepak corner kick, bola tu masuk dalam kotak penalti, pastu bola tu terkena betis aku..aku xtau pape pun, tengok2 bola tu dah masuk gol..aku pun jerit2 laa celebrate macam yang player2 luar negara buat tu haha..kawan2 lain pun kejar2 aku haha..best giler mase tu...

so aku pun terus laa bermain bola..hampir setiap hari laa aku main bola...masa rehat je kt sekolah, aku makan sikit je pastu aku terus gi main bola kat padang sekolah dengna geng2 aku tu...tapi aku nak cakap laa yang sebenarnya aku ni xlaa pandai sangat main bola pun..biase2 je..sepak pun melalut2 je hahaha..tapi semangat gak nak main jadi striker tu hahah...ade laa gak aku dapat gol mase tu..tapi kalau nak main jadi wakil sekolah memang x dapat laa..sebab aku memang x terer pun hahaha...

masa aku darjah 6, ade satu hari tu..skolah aku tu buat pertandingan bola sepak..lawan antara kelas2..kelas aku 6 mawar pun masuk gak..aku pun join laa team kelas aku ni...1st game lawan kelas 6 dahlia...mula2 aku x dapat main pun..jadi substitute je hehe..masa dah 2nd half tu ( dulu kitorang main setiap half 10 minit je ) dah 1-1 dah...pastu cikgu PJ kitorang tu suruh aku masuk ganti sorang kawan aku tu...aku pun gi laa main ngn penuh semangat nyer haha..pastu aku dapat 1 peluang nak gol tau..aku dah lari ke arah golkeeper dorang..tinggal aku dengna budak keeper tu je..aku x pandai nak wat skill ape pun, so aku rembat laa bola tu..pangg kena kepala keeper tu..pengsan budak tu..haha mesti kuat giler aku sepak bola tu..dah game tu dihentikan sebab nak gi rawat budak tu..kesian lak kat dia..last2 dia kena tukar ngan keeper substitute..last2 game tu seri 1-1...huhu lepas tu team kitorang seri sekali & kalah sekali..terus terkeluar dari pertandingan tu, sebab kitorang dapat nombor 3 je dalam kumpulan tu..huhu sedih2...

bila aku dah masuk sekolah menengah ni ( SMK sri gading ), aku macam stop main bola..cam x aktif sangat laa..ntah laa mase tu minat nak main bola cam xde lak..huhu tapi bila aku pindah masuk SMK Subang mase form 2...tiba2 aku rase nak main bola balik..so aku try laa join main bola sama2 dengan budak2 kat taman perumahan tempat family aku tinggal tu ( Taman Subang Perdana klau x silap aku laa )....mase aku join dorang tu, ye laa sebab x kenal lagi budak2 ni...mase main tu pun dorang x bagi bola sangat kat aku..last2 aku dapat jugak peluang nak gol tu..aku rembat laa bola tu ( dah tu xkan nak pegang bola tu lak kan hahaha )...mak aii terus masuk gol..aku pun lari2 laa celebrate macam orang gila..budak2 tu tengok je aku..haha macam kelakar lak mase tu..tapi dah lame2 tu aku kawan laa ngn semua budak2 tu...best main bola dengan dorang...hehe..mase aku kat situ, aku dapat ramai kawan..tapi aku paling kamceng dengan Ezareen..dia laa yang ajar aku macam mana nak main jadi striker..dia memang terer main bola..wakil sekolah lak tu..hehe...lama2 aku dengan dia selalu main bola sama2..kitorang jadi strike partner yangmantap..kadang2 aku pass bola kat dia pastu dia gol..lepas tu dia lak pass bola kat aku, aku lak yang gol..perghh memang best laa mase tu...bila main je, budak2 dari team lain mesti kata " kena jaga 2 orang nih!" haha....punye laa cuak dorang nak lawan team kitorang sebab ade aku ngan ezareen tu..hehe.....tapi aku duduk situ x lama..3 bulan je..family aku kena pindah lagi ke sarawak lak..sedih aku kena tinggalkan dorang semua..tinggalkan ezareen, my best friend & strike partner....nangis aku tau huhu...aku xkan lupakan semua kenangan aku main bola kat taman subang perdana ( april- julai 2003 ) huhu....

aku akan sambung balik cerita aku ni dalam post yang akan datang..tunggu sambungannye ok hehe..k chow dulu..assalamualaikum ;)

Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 0 ( English Premier League, 22 May 2011 )

Liverpool's Joe Cole ( in white ) challenging Aston Villa rightback Kyle Walker for the ball






Aston Villa duo Stewart Downing and Ashley Young have been on Liverpool's radar for some time and manager Kenny Dalglish witnessed first-hand their qualities as his side slipped to the defeat which ended their Europa League hopes.

Liverpool rarely troubled their hosts on an afternoon when Villa's two wingers provided the main attacking thrust.

Downing produced the one moment of quality with a deft touch and brilliant finish to decide the match in the first half as Dalglish's players appeared to run out of steam after a season which for some of them began in July in the Europa League.

It means Liverpool have failed to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1999, although many will see that as a blessing as it will give Dalglish a chance to concentrate on strengthening his squad and making a challenge to get back in the Champions League next season.

Dalglish appeared to already have one eye on the future by naming a bench which, the 31-year-old Christian Poulsen apart, had an average age of just over 19.

He also gave Joe Cole a chance to impress with his first start for two months but the England international failed to take it and he faces an uncertain future after just one season at Anfield in which he has failed to deliver.

Injured Reds captain Steven Gerrard was sat among the travelling supporters but he will have been less than impressed by a first half which was almost entirely devoid of quality or incident.

In fact, Downing's 33rd-minute goal aside it was difficult to single out anything else worthy of a mention.

Virtually substitute Marc Albrighton's first involvement having replaced Fabian Delph was to provide the right-wing cross which sailed over the defence to the unmarked Downing who took a touch before smashing a narrow-angle shot past Jose Reina via the underside of the crossbar.

Either side of that the story of the half was of niggling fouls, injuries and scrappy play.

Liverpool lost Jay Spearing barely 10 minutes into the game having been fouled moments earlier by Nigel Reo-Coker, who was booked, and was replaced by Jonjo Shelvey.

Jamie Carragher temporarily had to leave the field to have stitches in a head wound after a clash with Lucas Leiva, who came closest to scoring for the Reds with a shot from a Raul Meireles corner cleared off the line by Ashley Young.

Cole had a chance to atone for an anonymous opening 45 minutes when Lucas' lofted ball picked him out in the penalty area but he ballooned a shot well over.

The England international's disappointing afternoon was eventually ended in the 67th minute when he was replaced by David Ngog.

Just prior to that Raul Meireles should have done better when Luis Suarez's cut-back took out the sliding Kyle Walker and James Collins but former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel clawed out his shot.

Collins, substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stiliyan Petrov all had chances to put the result beyond doubt as the hosts finished the stronger, with only Fabio Aurelio and Luis Suarez coming anywhere close for Liverpool.

Ashley Young's withdrawal minutes from the end saw the player, entering the last year of his contract, applaud all four sides of the ground in what looked like a farewell.

But even the prospect of losing one of their major stars could not dampen the delight of the home crowd, who could not decide whether they were happier at a first Villa Park win over the Reds since February 1998 or the demise of city rivals Birmingham.

Meanwhile Dalglish, heading into his first summer transfer window, has plenty to ponder after back-to-back defeats to end the season.

Big decisions need to be taken on some big names as he looks to revitalise his playing staff.

He may well have seen the future at Villa Park.

Aston Villa (1) 1 Liverpool (0) 0

Aston Villa Friedel, Walker, Collins, Dunne, Luke Young,Downing, Reo-Coker (Agbonlahor 68), Delph (Albrighton 28),Petrov, Ashley Young (Bradley 89), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Pires, Heskey, Clark.

Booked: Reo-Coker, Walker.

Goals: Downing 33.

Liverpool Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio,Meireles, Spearing (Shelvey 12), Lucas, Cole (Ngog 68), Suarez,Kuyt.

Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Wilson, Poulsen, Wisdom, Robinson.

Booked: Meireles, Cole.

Att: 42,785

Liverpool 0 Tottenham Hotspurs 2 ( English Premier League, 15 May 2011 )

Tottenham midfielder Sandro bringing the ball under control




Tottenham seized the advantage in the race for the final Europa League spot as Liverpool's first match since the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as permanent manager ended in defeat.

However, referee Howard Webb could have been accused of having a helping hand in deciding the outcome with a series of questionable decisions which culminated in the award of a very favourable penalty for the visitors' second.

Rafael van der Vaart's volley had given Harry Redknapp's side an early lead only for Liverpool to wrest back control of the game until 11 minutes after the interval when Webb controversially pointed to the spot and Luka Modric converted.

Spurs moved a point ahead of their rivals into fifth place as they inflicted a first home defeat for Dalglish, who signed a three-year contract on Thursday, since he replaced Roy Hodgson in early January.

That formidable home record - 20 points from eight matches prior to this encounter - counted for little as the visitors took the early initiative on their way to their first Anfield victory in 19 games stretching back to 1986.

Injury robbed Dalglish of midfielder Raul Meireles, which meant he had to break up the recent successful partnership of Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt and bring in fit-again club record signing Andy Carroll.

It undoubtedly had a detrimental effect as the £35million England international lacks the mobility and energy of Kuyt in a front two and denied the Reds the high pressing game they have employed of late.

Spurs enjoyed their extra time on the ball and put it to good use in the early stages, dominating possession.

Van der Vaart fired well wide early on but the next time he did not disappoint with his ninth-minute shooting opportunity.

When Modric's right-wing corner skimmed off the head of Martin Skrtel he brought the ball under control with his first touch and with his second volleyed it over the crowd - helped by a deflection off Glen Johnson - past Jose Reina's left hand and into the far corner of the net.

In recent weeks everything had gone right for the Reds, unbeaten in five with 17 goals scored, but the opposite was true on this occasion.

Tottenham's closing down and tight marking prevented the hosts producing the flowing pass-and-move football which has returned under Dalglish.

The only stroke of fortune they enjoyed was the leniency of referee Howard Webb, who chose to only book Suarez for his petulant kick at Michael Dawson while he was on the floor having been angered by the defender's apparent dive to win a free-kick.

Having been brilliant in front of goal in the last month the knack appeared to have deserted Liverpool as Carroll slashed wildly at Maxi Rodriguez's pass and failed to connect properly while midfielder Jay Spearing bundled a shot wide with his weaker left foot.

The same should not have been expected of Carroll though, who wastefully headed over from six yards from Skrtel's cross.

Suarez was closer with a free-kick which flashed just wide on the stroke of half-time but the Reds needed a change as distinctive as Dalglish swapping his tracksuit for jacket and tie at the interval .

Van der Vaart lasted just five minutes into the second half before limping off to be replaced by Jermain Defoe.

Anger at Webb's officiating reached a peak in the 55th minute when he penalised John Flanagan for a foul on Pienaar when the offence appeared to be both outside the penalty area and in favour of the home side.

Modric struck home the spot-kick to give Tottenham a two-goal cushion they barely deserved.

Liverpool surged forward, enraged at the perceived injustice, and Suarez fired over from Flanagan's low cross while substitute Jonjo Shelvey was narrowly off target with a long-range effort.

Chasing the game Dalglish sent on David Ngog for Rodriguez, giving his side every opportunity to score with four strikers on the pitch.

Carroll's ineffectual display meant he was lucky to still be on when he managed his first shot on target in the 87th minute but Carlo Cudicini held it comfortably and the target man immediately replaced by Joe Cole.

Having missed out on the Champions League the Europa League may be of some consolation for Tottenham, if they can better Liverpool's result next week.

There has been an argument put forward that both sides would prefer to miss out on Europe's second-tier competition to concentrate on their league form next season.

Having tasted his first home defeat, and only the fourth of his second spell in charge, Dalglish is unlikely to be in agreement.

Teams

Liverpool Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Kuyt, Lucas, Spearing (Shelvey 64), Maxi (Ngog 75), Suarez, Carroll (Cole 88).

Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Poulsen, Robinson.

Booked: Suarez, Flanagan.

Tottenham Cudicini, Kaboul, Dawson, King, Rose (Bassong 82), Lennon, Modric, Sandro, Pienaar (Kranjcar 90), Van der Vaart (Defoe 53), Crouch.

Subs Not Used: Pletikosa, Pavlyuchenko, Livermore, Bostock.

Booked: Sandro.

Goals: Van der Vaart 9, Modric 56 pen.

Att: 44,893

Fulham 2 Liverpool 5 ( English Premier League, 9 May 2011 )

Liverpool's Maxi Rodriguez ( number 17 ) shooting home the first goal after just 31 seconds




Liverpool may be about to be knocked off their perch by Manchester United, but they showed at Craven Cottage they might just mount a serious challenge for a 19th league title of their own next season by destroying Fulham.

The Reds made it 13 goals in their last three games and Maxi Rodriguez completed his second hat-trick over the same period, with Dirk Kuyt making it 12 goals in his last 13 matches for club and country and Luis Suarez wrapping up the rout.

The win moved Liverpool back above Tottenham into fifth place in the Premier League and left Fulham stunned as they paid the price for a horrible first 16 minutes which saw them 3-0 down.

The Cottagers threatened a comeback when Mousa Dembele pulled a goal back but they were 5-1 down before Steve Sidwell fired a late consolation.

If Jamie Carragher was worried his 666th appearance for Liverpool - moving him second on the all-time list - was a bad omen, he was in for a pleasant surprise.

It was Fulham who must have thought they were cursed as they endured calamity after calamity right from kick-off.

The first blunder came from Aaron Hughes, whose slip let in Suarez, with Carlos Salcido and Mark Schwarzer making a hash of the striker's left-wing cross and allowing Maxi to thread the ball home.

The shocking defending continued in the seventh minute as Chris Baird played Glen Johnson onside and the full-back crossed for Maxi to volley in from close range at the far post.

Liverpool were rampant, to the glee of the large travelling contingent, and Suarez saw a penalty appeal turned down before a absolute howler from Schwarzer made it 3-0.

There was little power in Kuyt's shot from just inside the penalty area but the goalkeeper allowed the ball to squirm underneath him at the near post, all but killing the game as a contest.

Suarez wasted a glorious chance to pull the ball back for Raul Meireles to make it 4-0 and Maxi volleyed over the top as Fulham's defending in wide areas continued to be non-existent.

Fulham - whose only threat had been a Dembele air shot - finally got going and Dempsey saw his half-volley from Simon Davies' corner cleared off the line by Johnson.

Home boss Mark Hughes threw on Bobby Zamora for Davies at the break and Liverpool suffered a blow when Raul Meireles appeared to pull a hamstring and was replaced by Jonjo Shelvey.

That came after a Fulham free-kick, which Zamora flicked on dangerously moments before Dempsey fired just over the crossbar.

Eidur Gudjohnsen also dragged wide as the home side created more in five minutes than they had in the opening 45.

And they deservedly pulled a goal back in the 57th minute when Martin Skrtel gave Zamora the chance to lay the ball off to Dembele, who curled home beautifully beyond Jose Reina.

The keeper was furious, belting the ball into the stands and earning himself a yellow card.

Hughes would have been cursing himself for not starting with Zamora.

Liverpool remained a threat on the break, particularly through the outstanding Suarez.

But it was Maxi who killed off any hope of a Fulham fightback with 20 minutes remaining, completing his hat-trick with a stunning 25-yard drive into the top corner.

Suarez made it another five-star performance for Kenny Dalglish's men when he raced onto Shelvey's through-ball and brilliantly rounded Schwarzer to prod home the goal his performance deserved.

The Uruguayan beat the offside trap again moments later only to blaze over the top.

Dembele was replaced by Gael Kakuta before Maxi left the field to a standing ovation, with Joe Cole coming on.

Fulham kept going and, with just under five minutes left, Sidwell pounced on a loose clearance and cracked a lovely 20-yard half-volley into the top corner.

Schwarzer saved brilliantly from Shelvey, Spearing had a shot cleared off the line and Kuyt's point-blank shot was blocked by Baird in stoppage-time.

Teams

Fulham Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido,Davies (Zamora 46), Murphy, Gudjohnsen (Johnson 67), Sidwell,Dempsey, Dembele (Kakuta 76).

Subs Not Used: Stockdale, Senderos, Etuhu, Greening.

Booked: Murphy, Dempsey, Salcido, Sidwell, Baird.

Goals: Dembele 57, Sidwell 86.

Liverpool Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Flanagan,Maxi (Cole 82), Spearing, Lucas, Meireles (Shelvey 48), Suarez,Kuyt.

Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen, Robinson.

Booked: Reina, Skrtel.

Goals: Maxi 1, 7, Kuyt 16, Maxi 70, Suarez 75.

Att: 25,693

Liverpool 3 Newcastle United 0 ( English Premier League, 1 May 2011 )

Liverpool midfielder Maxi Rodriguez ( in red ) volleyig in the first goal for Liverpool



Goals continue to flow at Anfield under Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool strengthened their claim for European football next season with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle.

The Reds, who have scored 14 in their last three home matches, moved above Tottenham into fifth place having rarely been troubled by the Magpies.

Dirk Kuyt's eighth in his last seven Barclays Premier League matches was sandwiched between another for Maxi Rodriguez, who hit a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Birmingham last week, and one for the impressive Luis Suarez.

Only a goal for Andy Carroll, the subject of incessant abuse from the travelling fans, against his former club would have capped off the performance.

The £35million striker came on for the final 20 minutes but made little impact save for increasing the vitriol from the large away contingent.

Their anger at the way Carroll left them in January, with the club claiming he handed in a transfer request when made aware of Liverpool's interest, was understandable but he was never going to be a major player in this game having missed last week's victory with a knee injury.

The man who was the main reason Newcastle's record of just two wins at Anfield in their last 39 visits was not improved was Suarez.

Carroll's fellow deadline-day signing has made a much greater impression and his inventiveness and workrate were a constant problem to the Magpies.

But it took even him a long while to get things going as, having played their best football of the season in demolishing Birmingham, the first half failed to reach anywhere near those heights despite taking a 10th-minute lead.

Raul Meireles had already bundled a shot wide from a cross by Glen Johnson, returning at left-back after a three-match absence with a hamstring injury, before the hosts went ahead.

Even then they required a slice of luck. Teenager John Flanagan's deep cross was only half headed clear by Mike Williamson and Rodriguez's follow-up volley took a big deflection off Danny Simpson.

It went downhill from there for Dalglish's side as they conceded too much territory to their opponents, who enjoyed a sustained period of possession without really threatening.

It was briefly broken by Jay Spearing's dipping shot, which Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul claimed at the second attempt with Meireles bearing down on him.

The home side were fortunate, however, that for all their time on the ball Newcastle struggled to carve out a decent opportunity.

Liverpool-born midfielder Joey Barton was the Magpies' main culprit as his delivery from set-pieces was poor.

The one time he did put a free-kick into a dangerous area Johnson headed behind for a corner, from which Kevin Nolan subsequently ballooned a shot over.

Liverpool's only other chance of the half saw Lucas Leiva's looping header easily caught by Krul, while Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique, a summer target for the Reds, had the final opportunity with a free-kick deflected behind off the wall.

For the second half Liverpool's full-backs switched sides, with Flanagan having been given a difficult time by Jonas Gutierrez.

But the youngster was almost caught napping within seconds of the restart as Nolan's low cross was side-footed wide by Barton at the far post.

Luck was certainly on Liverpool's side as Suarez almost scored with a deflected shot which hit the side netting and Rodriguez hit the crossbar as he tried to centre from the left.

There was a hint of fortune about Liverpool's 59th-minute second when Suarez isolated Williamson wide on the left from Jose Reina's kick and was sent tumbling by the defender right on the edge of the penalty area close to the byline.

Referee Peter Walton, who had frustrated the home crowd with a number of decisions, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot to allow Kuyt to score.

The Holland international should have doubled his tally with a free header seven yards out minutes later but missed the target.

Suarez made no such mistake in the 65th minute when he exchanged passes with Kuyt to sidefoot under Krul from 10 yards.

With the game safe Dalglish sent on Carroll for Rodriguez with 20 minutes to go, just before Meireles' diving header was deflected behind by Fabricio Coloccini.

Carroll barely touched the ball as his side ran out comfortable winners and, despite having played one match more than Tottenham, Liverpool are strong contenders to take the Europa League berth.

Teams

Liverpool Reina, Flanagan (Shelvey 81), Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Meireles, Lucas, Spearing, Maxi (Carroll 69), Suarez (Cole 87), Kuyt.

Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Robinson.

Booked: Flanagan.

Goals: Maxi 10, Kuyt 59 pen, Suarez 65.

Newcastle Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Jose Enrique (Ferguson 90), Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez, Lovenkrands (Ranger 73), Ameobi (Kuqi 82).

Subs Not Used: Harper, Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor, Tavernier.

Booked: Tiote, Williamson.

Att: 44,923

Liverpool 5 Birmingham City 0 ( English Premier League, 23 April 2011 )

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt ( 2nd from left ) striking home the 2nd goal of the game for Liverpool





A Maxi Rodriguez hat-trick inspired Liverpool to their biggest win of the season and further prove, if anyone was still in doubt, that Kenny Dalglish is the man to lead the club forward.

The little Argentinian was not necessarily brilliant but just put himself in the right places to capitalise on some impressive team play by a side brimming with the confidence instilled by the 60-year-old Scot.

There were positives all over the field with Dirk Kuyt scoring his seventh goal in six league matches while even substitute Joe Cole, who has endured a disappointing maiden season, got among the goals with a late deflected effort.

Five goals and all this achieved without £35million record signing Andy Carroll, who was unavailable due to an injury sustained in last Sunday's draw at Arsenal which allowed Kuyt to move back up front.

Adaptability was the name of the game as the Reds adopted a midfield diamond formation to get the best out of Raul Meireles' attacking intent.

Crucial to making it work, however, were the superb Lucas Leiva at its base and Rodriguez and Jay Spearing.

Rodriguez is becoming something of a lucky charm for the side he joined in January 2010 as although his goals are few and far between - just seven in 49 matches - they have all coincided with victories.

He is more suited to the midfield set-up which Kenny Dalglish went with at the start but it also brought the best out of Spearing, who had a hand in the opening goal - although not as much as Foster in the seventh minute.

Kuyt's lay-off saw the 22-year-old midfielder fire in a swerving shot which the Birmingham goalkeeper spilled into the path of Rodriguez who made no mistake from close range for his first goal since December 3.

Birmingham briefly responded, without really threatening, before they were caught by a classic Liverpool counter-attack in the 23rd minute.

Jose Reina intentionally picked out Meireles just over the halfway line and he flicked on into the path of Luis Suarez who did well to hold off the challenge of Martin Jiranek.

Foster may have been at fault for the first but he saved well from the Uruguay international and again from Kuyt's follow-up but he could do nothing to prevent the Holland international getting up to slot home the rebound.

The England goalkeeper injured himself in the process and was replaced 10 minutes later by Colin Doyle, who watched one Kuyt header sail across goal and wide of the far post before gratefully clasping Suarez's shot to his chest just before the end of the half.

Almost unnoticed in all the pass-and-move mayhem Liverpool were creating was the performance of the Reds' teenage full-backs, 18-year-old John Flanagan on the right and Jack Robinson, a year younger.

The latter certainly did not look like a youngster making his first start after two substitute appearances 11 months apart when, in the opening minutes, he coolly dispossessed the far more experienced Alexander Hleb as Birmingham threatened an early attack having swept through the inside-left channel.

Having moved into a comfortable 2-0 lead Dalglish almost immediately reverted to more orthodox 4-4-2 formation to ensure Blues were afforded no way back.

Alex McLeish's side provided more of a challenge in the second half but were always chasing the game and their cause became a lost one in the 66th minute when Rodriguez scored his second.

Suarez was played onside by Carr, trailing slightly behind his defensive colleagues, and the forward raced onto Martin Skrtel's pass and crossed to the far post where Rodriguez side-footed home.

Rodriguez saved his best goal for last, collecting Suarez's 73rd-minute pass and shooting low at Doyle who half-saved his effort only for Meireles to force the ball back into the danger area for Rodriguez to convert.

There have not been many instances since his arrival when Suarez has been outshone and as if to remind people of his talents the Uruguay international produced an audacious behind-the-leg shot which would have really rubbed salt in Birmingham's wounds.

That honour was left to Cole who, within seconds of replacing Meireles, cut in from the right to hit a deflected shot past Doyle for the fifth.

While this result was a barometer of the confidence at Anfield it will have done little for spirits within the Birmingham camp, with the club still looking over their shoulders five points above the relegation zone.

Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1 ( English Premier League, 17 April 2011 )

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll ( in black ) pressuring Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny







Arsenal saw their Barclays Premier League title hopes all but extinguished after Dirk Kuyt secured a point for Liverpool with a last-gasp penalty just moments after Robin van Persie's own spot-kick had looked enough for victory.

The Gunners - now six point points behind leaders Manchester United having played the same number of games - had plenty of possession and hit the bar in the first half through Laurent Koscielny, but were unable to make their dominance count until deep into eight minutes of stoppage time when van Persie crashed home a spot-kick.

However, Liverpool - who had earlier seen captain Jamie Carragher carried off following a nasty clash of heads - snatched a point with the final kick of the match after Emmanuel Eboue had pushed Lucas Leiva.

While the match ended in high drama, before kick-off there was a minute's silence in memory of late Arsenal director Danny Fiszman, who passed away following a battle against cancer and also remembering the 96 Liverpool supporters who died 22 years ago this week in the Hillsborough tragedy.

The sale of Fiszman's holding in the Gunners' parent company led to American Stan Kroenke crossing the takeover threshold, but it remains to be seen whether the Denver-based entrepreneur will be able to complete his proposed £730millon buyout.

When the action got under way, Arsenal - unbeaten in 14 matches and yet to lose in 2011 - started well, with Abou Diaby glancing a header wide from Samir Nasri's curling free-kick.

Arsenal were careless in possession far too often, with Liverpool quick to capitalise on the break.

The hosts sparked into life, though, after 12 minutes when Theo Walcott stung Pepe Reina with a fierce 25-yard drive which the Reds keeper spilled and van Persie hooked the loose ball back across an open goal, which was headed behind.

From van Persie's right-wing corner, Laurent Koscielny got up above the Liverpool defence and in front of Reina to crash a header against the bar.

Liverpool were forced into a change on 21 minutes when full-back Fabio Aurelio limped off with a recurrence of his hamstring problem, replaced by 17-year-old Jack Robinson for a second senior appearance.

Luis Suarez's slip allowed van Persie and Cesc Fabregas to open up the Liverpool defence, but the Arsenal skipper drilled his 20-yard shot wide.

Liverpool were being pegged back, with Walcott firing a low ball in from the right which was booted behind.

It continued to be one-way traffic with Liverpool defending deep, but Arsenal could not find a telling pass in the final third.

In first-half stoppage time, Eboue's angled drive at the near post was deflected across the face of goal and away.

It was again a bright opening by Liverpool after the restart. Suarez created space for himself at the edge of the Arsenal penalty area, but dragged his shot wide.

There was a scare for the visitors when Andy Carroll went down after twisting his knee and ankle when challenging for a loose ball in the box. After some treatment, though, the £35million England man was back in the action.

Reds skipper Carragher then appeared to have been knocked unconscious after a clash of heads with John Flanagan, sparking more anxious scenes on the visitors bench as the medical staff from both teams attended.

The former England defender was eventually carried off on a stretcher, his neck in a brace and given oxygen. Sotirios Kyrgiakos came on as a substitute.

With 20 minutes left, Carroll was replaced by Jonjo Shelvey before Arsenal made a double change when Jack Wilshere and Walcott were replaced by Nicklas Bendtner and Andrey Arshavin, the Russian making his 100th appearance for the Gunners.

Wojciech Szczesny got down well to beat away an angled shot from Suarez as Liverpool looked to snatch all three points.

Reina made a decent block when van Persie was played into the left side of the Liverpool area, before at the other end, Suarez spooned his shot high and wide in space at the near post.

Because of the injury to Carragher, there were some eight minutes of stoppage time, and just when that seemed to be running out, Fabregas went tumbling over Jay Spearing's leg and this time, the referee pointed to the spot.

Van Persie stepped up to send Reina the wrong way and seemingly keep Arsenal in the title hunt.

However, there was more late drama after Alex Song tripped Lucas right on the edge of the area.

Suarez's free-kick went into the wall, but Eboue then pushed over Lucas to conceded another stoppage-time spot-kick which Kuyt dispatched.

It proved the last action of an amazing end to the game, which leaves Arsenal all but out of the title race and left a dejected Arsene Wenger confronting the officials - and opposite number Kenny Dalglish as they walked off.

Teams:

Arsenal Szczesny, Eboue, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Diaby (Song 81), Wilshere (Bendtner 72), Walcott (Arshavin 72), Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie.

Subs Not Used: Lehmann, Squillaci, Gibbs, Chamakh.

Booked: Eboue, van Persie.

Goals: van Persie 90 pen.

Liverpool Reina, Flanagan, Carragher (Kyrgiakos 62), Skrtel, Aurelio (Robinson 21), Kuyt, Spearing, Lucas, Meireles, Suarez, Carroll (Shelvey 70).

Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Cole, Maxi, Ngog.

Booked: Flanagan, Skrtel, Shelvey, Lucas.

Goals: Kuyt 90 pen.

Att: 60,029

Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).