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MOTD: Hull City 1-0 Liverpool

By on April 28, 2015

Another poor run-in is plaguing Liverpool as the Reds have won only once in their past five league meetings. Last season they famously and quite literally slipped up in the latter stages of the season, and a third winless match on the run (including West Bromwich Albion in the league and Aston Villa in the FA Cup semis) leaves Anfield deflated again. Though their title hopes have long gone, the stakes tonight remained high, as the loss likely extinguished the club’s chances of Champions League qualification, with Europa League Thursdays now looming ominously on the horizon.

The Reds were overwhelmed tonight both on and off the pitch as some fans boycotted the game due to ticket prices, leaving their away supporters further outnumbered.  The same at times appeared to apply to their squad on the pitch, with Hull’s midfield utterly dominant and Liverpool lacking attacking potency. The visitors had nearly 70% of possession but failed to threaten the Hull much. Liverpool couldn’t penetrate and finish; Hull did, and that was the difference maker.

At the start, neither set of fans was particularly happy: Liverpool in protest of ticket prices and Hull regarding owner Assem Allam. In both stands the mood was evident; the away end being only half full, for one. But whilst Hull’s fortunes continued to climax, Liverpool’s stagnated. Those who actually came couldn’t have been happy with what they saw — a seven point gap open between them and fourth-placed Manchester United.

Although Philippe Coutinho tested Hull ‘keeper Steve Harper early on, Mario Balotelli was isolated and Liverpool struggled to carve Hull apart. Indeed, when Hull took the lead on the stroke of the half it was in part due to Balotelli’s lack of cohesion with Liverpool’s attempt to play the offside trap after Hull’s short corner routine went awry. Liverpool’s backline stepped up, but Balotelli lagged behind and kept Michael Dawson onside to bury an opener header from six yards out.

Especially in the air, Hull challenged Liverpool. Playing a high-intensity game, they were more often ahead of Liverpool than not. Earlier in the first half, Simon Mignolet punched Robbie Brady’s cross back out into the mixer, Jake Livermore was there first and forced Mignolet into a fantastic reaction save.

On the other side of the half Paul McShane saw his near-post header from James Chester’s flick on just deflected wide off of Jordan Henderson, although Hull’s gameplay shifted from risk management to game management. Liverpool piled the pressure on, but with a solid defensive performance Hull held on, and the closest Liverpool got was Adam Lallana’s late, wide curler.  Dawson, for one, contributed both a magnificent goal up front — his first in Hull colors — and sturdy shift at the back.
Man of the Match: Michael Dawson

Photo credit: Bernard Chan on Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.