Hull compound Liverpool’ woes

Kingston Upon Hull: Michael Dawson, the Hull City captain, scored a goal that secured a 1-0 home win over Liverpool and had a significant impact on both ends of the Premier League table on Tuesday.This was Liverpool’s game in hand over Manchester United and their failure to win it leaves Brendan Rodgers’s team seven points adrift of the Old Trafford club with an inferior goal difference.

Both of them now have four games to play and Liverpool’s pursuit of a Champions League place looks to be over. “Our fight is to perform better through to the end of the season,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told the BBC.“It was always going to be difficult for us (to make the top four). The opportunity was tough this year in terms of where we were at as a team.” Hull, meanwhile, have moved above Aston Villa near the foot of the table and are four points clear of the relegation zone.

Skipper Steven Gerrard, on the fringes of the action in the goalless draw at West Brom in their previous game, was replaced by Joe Allen and not even included among the substitutes. The change initially did little to energise Liverpool in the wake of their lacklustre show against West Brom and they should have been behind after the seventh minute. Sone Aluko’s excellent left-wing cross picked out Dame N’Doye, who placed his header too close to keeper Simon MIgnolet. But whenever Philippe Coutinho was involved Liverpool looked a threat and he forced a fine save from Harper after a well-worked corner in the 19th minute.