Birmingham and Liverpool managers settle for a point
Rafael Benitez's reserves produced a stunning comeback to send Liverpool into next season's Champions League and leave Birmingham in serious danger of sinking back into the Championship. Two down with 27 minutes left, Liverpool, resting key players for Wednesday's European Cup semi-final at Chelsea, were heading for a humiliating defeat.
But late strikes from Peter Crouch and Yossi Benayoun helped rescue the visitors and earn the point that guarantees them fourth place in the Premier League.
Afterwards Anfield boss Benitez admitted: "The idea was to win and get fourth spot - but a draw was also an option. Hopefully now we can progress in this year's Champions League - and if we get there concentrate on the final.
"Fourth is the minimum for us because we have to be in the Champions League - but that doesn't mean I am satisfied with it. I want to finish as high as possible."
And looking towards their return date with Chelsea, he added: "I don't think their win today against Manchester United will alter things as far as our game goes.
"It remains a difficult competition and a difficult situation for both teams."
As for shattered Birmingham, they are slowly but surely sliding towards the drop after throwing away a potentially priceless victory.
If being pegged back was not bad enough, news that Fulham, who they meet next week, had won in the last seconds at Manchester City was an even more crushing blow.
Manager Alex McLeish reckoned three points, which would have lifted them out of the bottom three, were in the bag after Mikael Forssell and Seb Larsson scored either side of the break.
But once again their fragile defence, who had conceded five at Villa last Sunday, were found wanting.
McLeish, whose team remain a point from safety, moaned: "I am very disappointed. Before the game I'd have taken a draw, but when you are leading 2-0 you think it's sewn up.
"The first Liverpool goal was down to some naive defending - we dived in and went to ground too easily. But for that, we would have picked up a fantastic, positive result.
"That said, it's still a point and one which could keep us in the Premier League."
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Posted by Wilson – 27 Apr 2008, 7:52 AM
This was a decent result all told. I mean I am sure that both would have preferred the win, but this way at least they haven't lost the league.