Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners over Chelsea in the LFC Foundation’s annual Legends match at Anfield on Saturday thanks to two goals from Peter Crouch. Brought on as a half-time substitute for his veterans debut, the striker scored twice in front of the Kop to clinch a well-deserved victory.
Afforded one of the loudest receptions throughout, behind only Steven Gerrard, Crouch was a most popular goalscorer. Celebrating his first strike by dusting off his trademark robot celebration at Anfield for the first time, a youthful crowd was delighted.
Meanwhile, seeing how much it meant to a visibly thrilled Crouch to be both back at Anfield and scoring in front of the Kop only added to the occasion on a day to remember for all present.
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However, it was not all good will, even in the name of charity, as Liverpool and Chelsea locked horns once more. That’s right, it’s time for an ECHO ‘moments missed’ article. And it goes without saying that there will be plenty of fume!
Those Gerrard chants
Gerrard could have easily ended up as a Chelsea player back in the noughties if not for a transfer U-turn. But even without that saga, he has always been a pantomime villain for the Londoners.
Their travelling supporters burst into a couple of renditions of their infamous Demba Ba chant, only to be quickly drowned out by the rest of Anfield.
Meanwhile, they jeered, whistled and booed in the first half when Gerrard went over to take a corner in front of them. Again, of course they were drowned out.
The Liverpool legend inevitably got a very different reception from the home crowd, as they reserved their loudest cheers for when Gerrard was on the ball - or even off the ball after one eye-catching dummy, even if Ryan Babel earned the wrath of his frustrated captain for not being awake to it - along with plenty of pleas to shoot from distance.
Alas, no trademark thunderbolt this time, while supporters were even audibly disappointed when Fabio Aurelio stole in to take a free-kick ahead of Gerrard in front of the Kop. Make no mistake though, the Reds talisman continues to pull the strings in midfield.
Dowie downs Makelele
It wasn’t only Gerrard and Peter Crouch who were on the receiving end of loud cheers, Natasha Dowie was too as she came on for her LFC Legends debut and made history in the process by becoming the first ever Reds women's player to play in an annual charity match.
Her introduction was loudly cheered, as was her first touch and successful effort to sprint back and dispossess Ramires on the halfway line only moments after coming on.
But we’ll all remember how she sprinted over and floored the legendary Claude Makelele with one big tackle, after he had turned away from Dirk Kuyt, Sami Hyypia and Ragnar Klavan. Sure, it was late but you’ve got to let them know you’re there!
Makelele writhed around on the floor as the sheepish Dowie checked on him before slowly getting to his feet and limping around. He was fine to continue though so all’s well that ends well!
Alas, there was one player in the first half who was forced off injured though - Jerzy Dudek. The Pole injured his foot after clipping Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink when clearing the ball upfield.
After receiving treatment, he slowly limped off but was afforded a standing ovation as supporters chanted the popular goalkeeper’s name.
Spearing vs Wise
Jay Spearing was flying into tackles throughout the first half, conceding a couple of free-kicks along the way, before he found himself in Dennis Wise’s bad books.
The 58-year-old Chelsea captain - who actually played against Liverpool for Wimbledon in the 1988 FA Cup final - was unimpressed after the Reds’ 36-year-old Academy player-coach stood on his foot with the follow-through on one late challenge, having already won the ball from Hasselbaink.
Resisting the temptation to lash out at Spearing as he went to shove him off, Wise angrily confronted the referee, pointing an accusatory finger in the direction of the Liverpool midfielder, before heading over to square up to Spearing himself.
Makelele tried to play peace-maker as Wise rejected Spearing’s apologetic hand, twice pointing in the midfielder’s face before walking away after Ragnar Klavan stepped in to intervene. Feisty.
Chelsea star earns rare ovation
With Liverpool and Chelsea fierce rivals over the past two decades, it’s fair to say that relations have not always been the warmest. But one of the Londoners’ stars was afforded a fond reception from home supporters.
Prior to Chelsea emerging as Premier League and Champions League contenders, Gianfranco Zola was their undisputed best player in the Premier League era. A popular figure, the silky forward was well-liked by rival supporters too.
The 58-year-old was introduced as a second half substitute, and earned the cheers of the Anfield crowd in a classy sign of respect. That’s not something many of his Chelsea peers have been able to claim over the years!
Cisse fumes at bench
Djibril Cisse was brought on at half-time, but failed to complete the match after seemingly pulling up with a hamstring injury late in the second half after giving up on a long pass from Mark Gonzalez.
That was enough for the Liverpool bench to send Dirk Kuyt back on in place of the Frenchman, with no-one inside Anfield surprised by the decision.
Well, except for one man. Cisse himself! The striker was most bemused to be taken off as he remonstrated with the dugout, animatedly shrugging with a puzzled look on his face as he queried the decision, insisting he was fine to play on. Such discussions continued after he sat down too.
Following the game, coaches John Aldridge and John Barnes addressed the "first dispute" to have happened as they gave their take on Cisse's frustrations.
ECHO columnist Aldridge, who had been assisting Liverpool's manager Sir Kenny Dalglish, said: "For the first time ever we had a dispute, Djibril wasn't happy! We all thought he'd pulled up."
"We all thought he was injured because he pulled up,” Barnes agreed. “But he said, 'I never said, I never said'.
“I said, 'yeah, but you looked injured. You never said you were injured but you looked injured', but he said he was fine.”
