Liverpool targets top 4, Real makes most of Barca slip
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LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers said he had Arsenal and Manchester United in his sights after his team closed on the Champions League places with a 2-0 success at Southampton.
A glorious 30-yard strike by Philippe Coutinho put Liverpool ahead in the third minute of Sunday’s game at St Mary’s and after a number of vain Southampton penalty appeals, Raheem Sterling sealed victory late on. Liverpool plays second-place Manchester City next weekend before tackling fourth-place United and third-place Arsenal over the next six weeks, and Rodgers is confident they can close the two-point gap separating them from the Premier League’s top four.
Asked if he was apprehensive about Liverpool’s fixture list, which also includes a trip to Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday, Rodgers replied: “Not at all. We might have been at the beginning of the season because of how we were playing. But when the team’s in the condition it has been for these last two and a half, three months, then we relish every game we play.
“We have Man City and Man United at home, Arsenal away. For us it was a big step today (Sunday), considering the start we’ve had to the season. It really shows the consistency the players are at.”
Filip Djuricic, making his first Southampton start, had penalty appeals waved away by referee Kevin Friend either side of Coutinho’s goal and manager Ronald Koeman felt that the second, when the on-loan Serbian forward appeared to be felled by Joe Allen, merited a spot-kick.
Southampton was also aggrieved when Simon Mignolet raced out of his box to repel an attempted lob by Eljero Elia shortly before half-time, in an incident that saw the ball strike the Liverpool goalkeeper on the chest before bouncing up and hitting his arm.
“The situation of Elia, hands or no hands of the goalkeeper, it’s difficult to see,” said Koeman, whose side remains fifth, a point above Liverpool. “I can understand the decision of the referee, but I don’t understand the second situation in the game (Allen’s challenge on Djuricic) because that’s a clear penalty.”
In Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema scored to give Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Elche on Sunday, as the Spanish league leader capitalized on Barcelona’s stumble to increase its advantage to four points. Real grasped the opportunity Barcelona had presented it with after a 1-0 defeat at home to Malaga on Saturday.
Benzema tapped in a boggled clearance by Elche’s defense to make the breakthrough in the 56th, and Ronaldo ended a five-round scoring drought by heading in his league-leading 29th goal in the 69th.
Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ 500 Spanish league game was one of his most uneventful, as he was called upon just once against the outclassed hosts.
In Italy, Roma’s slim title hopes faded further as it drew 1-1 at Hellas Verona in Serie A to leave it nine points behind league leader Juventus.
Francesco Totti fired Roma in front in the 26th minute but Verona leveled when Seydou Keita deflected Bosko Jankovic’s header into his own net.
Adem Ljajic should have sent Roma in at the break in front after a fine first-half performance from the capital side, but he hit the post. It was Roma’s sixth draw in its past seven league matches.
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