29th September 2012
NORWICH CITY (0) 2 (Morison 61, Holt 87)
LIVERPOOL (2) 5 (Suarez 2, 38, 57, Sahin 47, Barnett og 68)
NORWICH CITY: Ruddy; Martin, Garrido, Barnett, Turner; Snodgrass, Howson, Surman (Hoolahan), B.Johnson; Jackson (Holt), Morison (Tettey)
LIVERPOOL: Reina; Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, G.Johnson (Carragher); Sahin (Henderson), Gerrard, Allen, Suso (Assaidi); Sterling, Suarez
In Brendan Rodgers first season as Liverpool manager they were still waiting for their first league win by the time they arrived at Carrow Road at the end of September. After five matches they sat third from bottom with just 2pts. This Norwich game would prove the catalyst to get their season started. Norwich, themselves were without a win, scoring just twice so far.
Early in the game Glen Johnson came forward down the left and as he cut inside he tried to play in Nuri Sahin. The pass was blocked and fell to Luis Suarez just outside the area. He played it onto his right and hit a low shot beating Ruddy at his near post. There was a controversial moment during the first half when a long-kick from Reina bounced over Suarez as he got ahead of Leon Barnett and the Norwich defender appeared to clumsily bundle him over. The referee waved away a penalty with the home side claiming Suarez dived. TV Replays appeared to prove otherwise.
As half-time approached Daniel Agger surged forward from the back and played Suarez in on goal but he slid his shot wide of the post. As he faced derision from the home fans, Ruddy took the goal-kick short to Garrido at left-back and he played it square to Michael Turner. Turner, unaware Suarez was behind him, then turned to face his keeper and found Suarez who nicked the ball off him, turned and netmegged the Norwich defender before beating Ruddy with a shot using the outside of his right foot. It was a masterful piece of impudence from Suarez who took delight in giving the Norwich fans back some of their own medicine.
Minutes after the break Robert Snodgrass inexplicably put the ball over from about 2 yards and Liverpool immediately punished him. Sterling, with an exuberant burst forward, played Suarez in on the left. He got to the bye-line but his first pass was blocked so he had another go with his right foot and there was Sahin to turn it in for this first League goal for the club he was on loan to. Ten minutes later Suarez completed his hat-trick. Given too much room on the left-side just outside the area, he was able to curl the ball round Martin and in past Ruddy for his 6th goal in successive matches at Carrow Road.
Norwich did fight back almost immediately as Russell Martin came forward to join the attack and his shot was too hot for Reina to hold and the rebound fell to Morison who turned it in. 1-4 Norwich now trailed but Liverpool soon restored their 4-goal advantage. Gerrard found Sterling on the right and as he reached the area he played it back to Gerrard and the Liverpool captain’s shot hit Barnett and went in. Just before the end Grant Holt pounced on a mistake by Martin Skrtel and curled the ball past Reina but Liverpool were comfortable winners, enjoying their first of the season.
Liverpool recovered from their disappointing start to the season, ending 7th with Norwich finishing in 11th.
Matches: 26
Liverpool win: 11
Norwich win: 7
Draws: 8
Liverpool goals: 39
Norwich goals: 30