Saturday, February 22, 1997/3:00 PM
Attendance: 40,747
Referee: Martin BODENHAM (East Looe, Cornwall)
Half-Time Score: 0-0
Yellow Card:
BLACKBURN ROVERS : Flowers
L I V E R P O O L F.C.
1 David JAMES (gk)
21 Dominic MATTEO
5 Mark WRIGHT
3 Bjorn Tore KVARME
20 Stig Inge BJØRNEBYE
4 Jason McATEER
10 John BARNES (c)
11 Jamie REDKNAPP
7 Steve McMANAMAN
8 Stan COLLYMORE
9 Robbie FOWLER
Substitutes Not Used
13 Tony WARNER (gk)
14 Neil RUDDOCK
16 Michael THOMAS
19 Mark KENNEDY
15 Patrik BERGER
Team Formation
JAMES
KVARME WRIGHT MATTEO
McATEER BJØRNEBYE
REDKNAPP BARNES
McMANAMAN
FOWLER COLLYMORE
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Flowers, Kenna, Sherwood, Hendry, Le Saux, Gallacher,
Sutton (Pedersen 58), Wilcox, McKinlay, Berg, Flitcroft
Substitutes Not Used
Marker, Given, Donis, Warhurst
W H A T T H E Y S A Y
By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport
Robbie Fowler was left cursing his luck at Anfield today as Liverpool
failed to put the squeeze on leaders Manchester United.
The 22-year-old striker twice saw efforts hit the post and misdirected a
number of other close-range chances on a day of frustration for the Kop.
Liverpool's luck was completely out, with Dominic Matteo seeing a header
hit the bar in injury time following a cross from the left by Stig Bjornebye.
If Liverpool do miss out on the title, then manager Roy Evans will no
doubt reflect on the number of points that slipped away in their own
backyard.
Blackburn have become a difficult side to beat since Tony Parkes became
caretaker manager at the end of October.
And the players proved that the events of yesterday, when Sven Goran
Eriksson confirmed he would not be taking over as manager, had not
unsettled them that much.
Top Norwegian coach Harald Aabrekk -- technical director of Brann
Bergen, Liverpool's opponents in the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final in two
weeks' time -- was among the spectators.
And he would surely have been impressed with the number of chances
Evans' side carved out in the first half.
Fowler was only inches away from giving Liverpool the lead after 15
minutes, when Jamie Redknapp delivered a deep cross and Fowler got above
keeper Tim Flowers, only to see his header come back off the base of a post.
The little goal-poacher then fired a shot wide after being set up by
Jason McAteer, before carving out a chance for Redknapp. However, his
header carried little power and Flowers was able to save comfortably.
Flowers came to Blackburn's rescue when he turned away a stinging
20-yard freekick from Redknapp as the home side stepped up the pace.
Redknapp miscued in a good position, while Mark Wright and McAteer sent
close-range shots into the crowd as Blackburn were forced on the back foot.
However, the Lancashire club, who will renew their search for a new
manager next week, threatened on the break.
Garry Flitcroft twice found himself unmarked and in sight of the
Liverpool goal, but both times failed to test David James.
The big keeper was only called into action once in the opening 45
minutes, when he did well to turn away a fierce 20-yard drive by Jason
Wilcox.
Flowers had his work cut out again only 60 seconds into the second half,
when he beat away a powerful shot from Fowler with Steve McManaman in a
better position.
Fowler then thumped a curling shot beyond the Blackburn keeper from just
inside the penalty area, but to his disbelief it came back off a post.
The Kop were becoming increasingly frustrated and Fowler twice snatched
at good opportunities inside the area, both times firing into the crowd.
Blackburn found it hard to stay in the game, but had loud appeals for a
penalty waved away by referee Martin Bodenham when James appeared to bundle
Kevin Gallacher over.
Parkes switched things around in the 57th minute, bringing on Danish
striker Per Pedersen, who completed a ½2.5million move from Odense yesterday.
However, it was Liverpool who continued to dominate, but their day of
frustration was summed up when Matteo's late header hit the bar.
PARKES HAPPY TO BE CARETAKER BOSS
Tony Parkes put a dent in Liverpool's Premiership title ambitions today
then declared he still doesn't want the Blackburn manager's job.
Sven Goran Eriksson confirmed yesterday he would be staying in Italy,
probably moving from Sampdoria to Lazio when his contract ends in June.
Parkes has been caretaker boss at Ewood Park since last October and the
club picked up another valuable point today with a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
But Parkes said: "I'll probably be the most successful caretaker manager
in history. But I am happy just being a short-term manager.
"I know the club will be looking for a big name as manager who can get
in big name players. Kenny Dalglish did that.
"I am quite carefree about the situation and it could be that I maybe
out of a job when a new manager comes in.
"He will have to decide who his staff will be but I'm quite confident
that I will remain at the club.
"Eriksson obviously fancied the sunshine more than the cobbled streets
and the flat hats. I suppose it's a fair swap."
Blackburn stifled Liverpool, who have now dropped 15 points at home and
that could prove to be their undoing.
Manager Roy Evans said: "The scoreline is crazy considering the amount
of chances we created.
"Robbie (Fowler) won't miss as many chances in his career and Jason
McAteer could have had a hat-trick.
"Even with the last strike of the ball we hit the bar and a point is
scant reward.
"Of course I would have liked three points but I have to be satisfied
with our approach play. It was very frustrating not to get any goals."
With Manchester United drawing, Liverpool would have gone top had they
won but Evans still reckons there are other teams in the hunt.
"It's still down to five to six teams" he said. "Everyone's talking
about a team stringing a winning run together but it's not happened yet."