Liverpool (11-05-2014)

Liverpool 2 – 1 Newcastle United (Premier League), 11^th May 2014

Train = £34

Bus to Anfield = £4

Match ticket = £49

Tea = £2-40

Programme = £3

Parking (£14 divided by 2) = £7

Total = £99-40

The theme song for this day has to be ‘Anthem for a Lost Cause’ by the Manic Street Preachers. After the results against Chelsea and Palace, the title was all but on its way to the Etihad. Going into today’s game, Liverpool sat two points behind City, who also had a far superior goal difference. So, West Ham (another London club) had to do Liverpool a massive and unlikely favour today. I didn’t put it past them, but I did think that it was unlikely that a team like City would miss a second opportunity to win the league.

Looking at the costs above, it looks like one of the more expensive games of the season, and I suspect it probably came to more when we threw food into the equation. Like Fylde, for some reason today was expensive, but I figured this was worth it given the context of the title race. Today, we were again sat to the right of the main stand, about 5 rows back from where we were for Chelsea. Despite its rather cramped seats and crowded concourse, this is perhaps one of the nicer stands at Anfield for atmosphere and ease of access.

Liverpool had surpassed expectations this year, and to be going into the final day still challenging for the title was remarkable. Clearly, the disappointment was beginning to show as they had let that 5-point lead slip, but I think most Liverpool fans would have taken this position at the start of the season. Like the Chelsea game, and for the last 15 minutes of the Palace game, Liverpool looked devoid of ideas and short on confidence. Suarez looked tired, while Sturridge seemed to lack concentration on the ball – a consequence, I believe, of relying too heavily on one or two front-men all season. Newcastle were out to spoil any end-of-season party, and took the lead on 20 minutes when a bending cross was stumped into his own net by Skrtel. This was typical of their luck in the last few games – plenty of possession, but getting caught with a sucker punch at the other end.

Losing 1-0 at half-time, and the nerves were clear around Anfield. Perhaps if they had gone in ahead, it would have put some pressure on City at the Etihad. In the second-half, Liverpool continued in the same manner, but started to forge more opportunities against a tired-looking Newcastle. Two quick-fire goals from Agger and Sturridge (both from set pieces) took Liverpool ahead, and back into something nearing contention. From here-on in, Newcastle imploded, with Shola Ameobi and Dummet red-carded for a combination of time-wasting and bad tackles. There was something of an anti-climax as the final whistle approached, and as the players did a rather weary lap of honour round the stadium with kids in tow. No title back at Anfield, but Liverpool were back near the top of the English game. What a massive contrast to the dead rubber last year against an already-relegated QPR! The test now will be to sustain this challenge next season, push on in the Champions League, and perhaps grab a domestic cup next year.