RESERVES: Liverpool beat Manchester United

Feb 27 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

DANIEL AGGER returned to action as Liverpool Reserves recorded a valuable 2-0 win over Manchester United in a lively FA Premier Reserve League North clash at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium last night.

Xabi Alonso and Harry Kewell were Liverpool goalscorers, as both sides included some familiar faces in their line-ups.

Danish international defender Agger completed an impressive 45 minutes for Gary Ablett’s second string.

For United Gary Neville played an hour on his own return from injury.

But it was midfielder Alonso who gave Liverpool the lead from the penalty spot after fellow Spaniard Gerard Pique had clumsily tripped the lively Krisztian Nemeth.

The Hungarian striker almost doubled Liverpool’s lead when he turned brilliantly on a cross by Argentian full-back Emiliano Insua, but his shot sailed over the bar.

Martin Skrtel, who replaced Agger at half-time, and midfielder Jay Searing were both denied by the crossbar in the second half.

But in a frantic finale Liverpool sealed the win in controversial circumstances.

United were reduced to 10 men when Richard Eckersley was sent off in the closing stages, but they poured forward looking for an equaliser and thought they had it when Danny Simpson’s stooping header appeared to cross the line before Liverpool’s Australian keeper Dean Bouzanis pounced on it.

The officials ruled in favour of Liverpool, and then Alonso sent Kewell running clear and the Australian winger finished with some aplomb to seal the victory to stretch Liverpool’s lead at top of the table.

LIVERPOOL RESERVES: Bouzanis, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Agger (Skrtel 45), Plessis, Flynn, Spearing, Nemeth (Brouwer 83), Alonso, Kewell.

MANCHESTER UNITED RESERVES: Heaton, Neville (Chester 62), Simpson, Eckersley, Pique (Macheda 67), Possebon, Cleverley, Hewson, Wellbeck, Eagles, Evans (Bryan 72).