by Darren Steward (Sky Sports)
Stephen Gerrard's first Liverpool goal, midway through the second-half, settled
this match as Gerard Houllier's side notched up a 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
The result heralded a fifth successive home win for the Reds and a seventh consecutive trip
without reward for the visitors. Danny Wilson's beleaguered Owls have made the worst recorded start by a Premiership
side to a campaign. Liverpool move up one place to fifth.
As the winter wind whistled through the Anfield rafters, Robbie Fowler sat on the bench waiting for his
chance to come on. But he would have to wait until the death before starting for the first time in three months.
Instead, Houllier opted for the unpredictable, sporadically sublime Titi Camara to partner Michael Owen up front.
Liverpool had the best of the early exchanges - Camara setting up both Stephen Gerrard and Dietmar Hamann with
openings. Gilles De Bilde found Andy Booth who curled a venomous effort just wide from 18 yards.
Wednesday's resolute defending, decisive and gritty in its execution, particularly from Des Walker and Emerson
Thome was impressive. After their near miss at Upton Park, the Owls were not going to lie down easily.
They took the lead after Niclas Alexandersson blasted in a well-worked free-kick from 25-yards that really whooshed
past an inanimate Sander Westerveld.
Liverpool were back on level terms only two minutes later. Finnish titan and Premiership player of the month Sami
Hyypia rose to head home David Thompson's teasing corner. Both Hyypia's goals have now come in Sky televised matches.
Danny Murphy was coming in-field from the right, drawing markers and affording the lanky Dominic Matteo time and
space to make long-legged sortie's down the flanks.
Wednesday were competing, with De Bilde always a threat from Wim Jonk and Petter Rudi's promptings and Andy
Booth providing plenty of endeavour down the left to keep Rigobert Song warm.
Five minutes before the break, Liverpool went 2-1 ahead. David Thompson burst into the box from Hamann's pass
and drilled in a shot that Kevin Pressman could only parry.
Danny Murphy reacted the quickest to volley home the rebound from ten yards to claim his fifth of the season.
In the second-half Alexandersson fashioned a fine fine shot after some surreal defending from Owen, who perhaps had
forgotten that the Reds weren't attacking the Kop end anymore.
Wednesday were all vim and gusto, sweat and sinew in the opening half. What had Danny Wilson put in their tea?
Emerson Thome clattered into a theatrical Camara in the penalty box, but Paul Durkin adjudged it a shoulder charge.
The Guinean striker's antics were outdone on the actor-ometer by Gilles De Bilde who went down like
Deborah Kerr in the 'King and I' under Sami Hyypia's attentions.
Murphy then flashed a shot just wide, and Alexandersson went narrowly wide after a powerful nod down from Booth
as the game swung from end to end.
Liverpool passing reeked of sloppiness and apathy. The visitors scented an equaliser. Could the Owls Anfield
adventure end in a hoot?
Against the run of play, it has to be said, the Merseysiders clinched the three points. Stephen Gerrard strode
elegantly past the challenges of Thome, dipped his shoulder to dummy Walker before ramming home a low right-foot shot.
A marvellous goal.
The South Yorkshire outfit were now on familiar territory, having only collected one point on their travels thus far
- the confidence they started the half with now just a memory.
Man-of-the-match David Thompson gave the result a rather flattering look for Houllier's men as he ended a mazy run
with a crisp fifteen yard curler. Liverpool were now cruising and killing the game, Wednesday wanted to get into the
bath as quickly as possible.
Robbie Fowler made a brief and successful appearance for
the Reds after his recent lay-off, but it was Thompson and
Gerrard's day.
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