The Reds returned to winning ways at home to Queens Park Rangers but only by a single goal to nil. The score doesn't do justice to the Reds though who could and really should have won this by more only for wasting clear chances once again.
The Reds needed a new central midfield partnership after Jay Spearing was forced to miss the clash through suspension. Jordan Henderson was given the nod to partner Adam in the middle and he played well on the day. Maxi was given a rare start in the league down the left which allowed Downing a start on the right - something he's been asking for apparently.
The away side got the game started attacking the Kop in the first half but it was the Reds who were in to their stride first as you would expect.
The Reds were on the front foot and Rangers were looking decidedly shaky at the back as we won some early corners.
Maxi was sent crashing to the floor on four minutes as he pulled a ball down from a half cleared corner. Rangers took an age to put the ball out as Maxi remained down on the turf. Thankfully after some treatment he was able to carry on.
The Reds continued to push forward and on ten minutes really should have scored. Stewart Downing crossed from the right hand side and picked out Suarez who was unmarked in the middle but of all the placed to head the ball he picked the keeper.
A couple of minutes later and a charging Kuyt had a shot but it was blocked out by Ferdinand. A minute later and Suarez so nearly produced an outrageous goal when he shot when only a metre from the line. He managed to get the ball between goal and keeper - a slight touch would have put the ball in.
On sixteen minutes Maxi and Suarez linked up but the Uruguayan made a fluff of his shot by trying to use his right foot rather then his left and the shot went wide of the target.
On twenty one minutes there was a genuine shout for a penalty when Suarez was pulled down in the box. He was shaping to receive the ball in the box and his man clearly had hands all over him and that resulted in him going down bu the ref was having none of it. One minutes it's a non contact sport in a match and the next it's seemingly rugby.
Daniel Agger was booked on twenty two minutes when he felled Bothroyd from behind and despite his protests he was rightly booked. It was as the away side were having a rare move in to our half such was the Reds domination.
On the half hour Suarez set up Henderson for a shot but he never got over the ball and it sailed in to the Anny road end.
A minute later and Kuyt played a superb ball behind their line to free Maxi and he was one on one with Cerny but after opening his body up and shooting Cerny managed to get a hand to it to prevent it going in. It was a big chance but missing it is just typical of us this season.
Rangers were rarely in to the Reds half and when Wright-Phillips got in shooting distance he blazed it in to the Kop.
Just prior to the half time whistle the Reds went so close when Suarez was played in and he tried to lob Cerny but he managed to claw the ball down and then Suarez blasted a volley way beyond everything and out for a throw.
Anton Ferdinand was down needing treatment after the Suarez chance and after a lot of dithering about by Rangers he got back on soon after they re-shuffled themselves around a bit.
The second half was started by the Reds and it took just over a minute for the crucial goal to be scored. Charlie Adam had his corner blocked back to him and after controlling the ball he sold his man before flicking a great cross in for Suarez to head home. Luis had escaped his man and Adam put it on a sixpence for him and this time he placed the ball in to the net rather than the keeper's hand. That goal really settled us and finally we could relax and not wonder if this was going to be another of those days where we missed so much and dropped points.
Shortly after the goal the away side were forced in to a change after Ferdinand went down under a challenge from Adam. He initially seemed to go away from Adam but clearly injured himself getting away and he clutched his leg as he went down. He was replaced despite treatment but it was clearly a muscle strain so he wasn't going to last.
The away side tried to claim a penalty on fifty four minutes when Skrtel slid in to push the ball away from Skrtel. It looked a good challenge and the replays I watched later clearly showed it was as well.
Just short of the hour mark and Kuyt cut inside but sent his shot just wide of the target.
Just after the hour mark and only a stretched out hand from Cerny prevented Maxi from scoring the second for the Reds. Suarez got the line well and squared the ball to Maxi and his shot was destined for the bottom corner but with Cerny going the wrong way he somehow got a hand down and back on to the ball. Amazing save and typical of keepers in front of the Kop.
On sixty eight minutes Suarez and Maxi linked up really well but Maxi saw his shot saved well by Cerny.
The Reds were gradually wondering what they had to do in order to extend the lead but on the contrary that gave the away side hope that they might sneak something from the game and that was always at the back of the mind.
Maxi was replaced by Bellamy on seventy eight minutes as the Reds looked to freshen it up again going forward and clearly it just wasn't going to happen for Maxi.
On eighty four minutes the Reds won a free kick deep in the Rangers half but they were certainly annoyed by the decision. Young who committed the foul was convinced there was no contact and let Suarez know as much and it was one of those tight ones I have to say.
Craig Bellamy took the free kick and put it over the wall but in to the side netting. Half the crowd though it had hit the right side of the net but sadly not. Bellamy and Barton then seemed to get involved in a war of words and I'm not quite sure how it came about but the ref decided to book Bellamy but not Barton. So at Fulham Bellamy did nothing but got a yellow in a two player thing but on this occasion the other player - Barton got away with nothing against him - that's equal standards!
With three minutes to go the Reds made a second switch as Jonjo Shelvey, recently recalled from his loan deal came on to replace Stewart Downing.
As the clock hit ninety there were three added minutes to the game and despite half a worry about a dramatic late equaliser the Reds went closest to scoring again only for the woodwork to come to their rescue. Bellamy got beyond his man and looked to pull it back from the line to Suarez but Shaun Wright-Phillips threw his foot at the ball and it flew goalwards only to crash back out off the crossbar and that was as close as it got before the ref blew for time.
Overall the result was correct but we made hard work out of it once again by not taking chances. I keep thinking that one day we're going to smash someone for a big score but the more games go when we don't and you wonder if it will ever happen. This is when results matter most though and the defence becomes crucial because if you shut one end out you are always in with a chance of you can at least convert one chance.
MotM : Luis Suarez - under all kinds of pressure from outside Luis just did what comes natural to him and that was sheer class and on another day he could have scored more.
