by Football 365
Titi Camara proved a more than able deputy for Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler as his
fourth goal of the season gave Liverpool victory at Anfield tonight.
Camara became the club's top scorer this season with his strike on 43 minutes, firing
beyond Shaka Hislop from inside the six-yard box after Rio Ferdinand had failed to deal with
Rigobert Song's low cross.
He had another "goal" disallowed for a foul on Ferdinand during the second half and his whole
performance showed Owen and Fowler could have a fight on their hands to both regain their
places in the starting line-up when they are fit.
The Guinean, signed from Marseille for £2.5million in the summer, was expected to do
little more than sit on the bench for the bulk of this season as the two England internationals
made the first-team jerseys their own.
But he grabbed a point-saving equaliser at Southampton on Saturday and with Fowler likely
to be out for at least a fortnight - Owen may return against Bradford next Monday - Camara
could get an extended run in the side.
He certainly deserved the standing ovation he received from the home fans when he was
replaced by Vladimir Smicer with 11 minutes to go - a decision which was also booed by certain
sections of the Liverpool support.
Erik Meijer, alongside Camara tonight, had a more subdued game but he was a willing runner
and proved a nuisance in the air to the West Ham defence.
Liverpool had some nervy moments, particularly in the second half as the visitors came to life
and put their opponents under pressure.
But West Ham badly missed the injured Paolo Di Canio, with the strikeforce of Paulo Wanchope
and Paul Kitson - making his first Premiership start of the season - getting little joy out of
Stephane Henchoz and Sami Hyypia.
The Londoners were without five senior defenders but it was up front where they were
found wanting, with the invention of 17-year-old Joe Cole failing to spark an
equaliser.
Song the goal creator became Song the goal saver when he hacked Frank Lampard's
55th-minute shot off the line after Sander Westerveld had only half-blocked the England
midfielder's effort.
But the Hammers created precious few chances even when they were behind and Hislop was the
busier keeper until the final whistle.
He brilliantly pushed Patrik Berger's effort wide four minutes from time, having earlier had Kitson
to thank for clearing Vegard Heggem's goalbound header when he was stranded.
But Liverpool's failure to find a second goal meant their supporters were forced to sit
through a tense finale until referee Stephen Lodge blew the final whistle to put them out of
their misery.
The win, only their second in the League since August 28, lifts them to ninth in the Premiership
- still a place behind Merseyside rivals Everton.
And their victory, while hard-earned, will have a little of the gloss taken off it by the fact West
Ham were without five senior defenders.
They were on the back foot from early on, with Hislop having to be at his best to beat away a
fierce David Thompson drive from 12 yards after Song's pass had opened up the visitors.
Camara's volley landed on the roof of the West Ham net, while Jamie Redknapp's curling
free-kick from just outside the area flew inches wide with Hislop stranded.
Meijer also fired narrowly off target before Camara struck, though the Hammers had gone
agonisingly close to taking the lead themselves with their first chance of the game on 32
minutes.
Liverpool failed to clear their lines and after Wanchope had pulled the ball back from the
byline, Trevor Sinclair unleashed a fizzing drive which only just went past Westerveld's far post.
Camara's goal relieved some of the tension around Anfield and the Reds felt they could
have had a penalty early in the second half when Wanchope appeared to handle in his own area.
But Lampard then gave Liverpool a reminder of the Hammers' threat and the Costa Rican was
crowded out 12 yards from goal when a loose ball fell at his feet.
Neil Ruddock headed Marc Keller's corner wide and Sinclair could not quite get enough on the
Frenchman's free-kick but the hosts could easily have snatched a second as West Ham threw
more and more men forward in a search for an equaliser.
Liverpool could not double their lead but that did not matter and they head into home games
against Bradford and Derby next week in good heart.
![[ home ]](graphic/lfcredslogo.gif)
