David N’Gog won a controversial penalty that spared under-pressure Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez a humiliating home defeat to Birmingham in a 2-2 draw at Anfield. The draw means Liverpool, with only one win in nine matches, are seventh but 11 points behind leaders Chelsea. Birmingham stay 15th, two points above the drop zone.
The barely-fit Steven Gerrard, who came on as a substitute just before his side went behind, converted from the spot after N’Gog appeared to dive over Lee Carsley’s 69th-minute challenge.
Midfielder Carsley got nowhere near the ball but it was clear from the outset that he did not touch the French striker, and replays hinted that he would not have done. Carsley was pointed in his criticism of N’Gog afterwards, telling ESPN it was “an embarrassing case of cheating” and saying the former Paris Saint-Germain forward would have trouble facing his family afterwards.
The controversy should not detract from an excellent game of football and a superb point for Birmingham, who battled manfully against their superior hosts and whose performance was typified by an omnipresent Lee Bowyer.
Liverpool took the lead in the 12th minute when after a superb double save by Joe Hart from N’Gog and Albert Riera, the ball flew back into N’Gog’s path and he smashed an instinctive left-foot volley past the on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper.
The visitors levelled with a shock equaliser 14 minutes later, their first real chance of the game. James McFadden launched a free-kick from deep to the far post that defender Roger Johnson was allowed to head across goal. In yet another defensive horror-show from Liverpool’s zonal markers, Martin Skrtel let Liam Ridgewell flick the ball on for Benitez to nod into the net after Glen Johnson played him onside.
Then right before half-time Birmingham took a shock lead when Jerome picked up Ridgewell’s defensive header on halfway, shrugged off Mascherano and unleashed a wonderful swerving effort from over 30 yards that flew into the top left. Jerome’s shot will be a contender for goal of the season.
Then came the dive from N’Gog. Carsley’s challenge was not clever; N’Gog had beaten Steven Carr for pace and his former Ireland team-mate was never going to get the ball. But Carsley was nowhere near making contact with N’Gog, who leapt in the air when he could have ridden the tackle and cut the ball back into a crowded box.
Walton pointed to the spot, to the shock of Birmingham’s players, and Gerrard stepped up and sent Hart the wrong way.
N’Gog had a great chance to win it with nine minutes of regular time left, but he could only poke wide from close range when a brilliant Gerrard cross found him at the far post. Gerrard then sent a shot over a minute later after a Dirk Kuyt effort was blocked, but the visitors held firm and earned a deserved point that could have been two more.
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