Liverpool's unsteady form at home continued tonight. As Italian outfit Udinese stung the Kop with a suprise 3-2 victory, in their Europa league clash at Anfield this evening.
Brendan Rodgers opted to make six changes to the team that dissected Norwich City at the weekend. Jonjo Shelvey and Jordan Henderson were starters in midfield. With promising Morrocan talent Oussama Assaidi out on the left wing, with Stewart Downing on the right flanking Fabio Borini. Jamie Carragher was recalled to partner Sebastian Coates at centre back. Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard were benched. Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin fielded a strong starting eleven. Noteably with Antonio Di Natale back in the squad after Guidolin left him out due to a dispute with the player.
Liverpool started brightly with Rodgers pass and move philosophy evident. Assaidi making space cutting in from the left having his attempt on goal blocked. The first real story on goal came from a Liverpool corner in the seventh minute! Sebastian Coates unmarked in the six yard box heads down to goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic's right who is able to palm it to safety.
Straight up the other end and Antonio Di Natale tries a rather ambitious effort to catch out the recovering Pepe Reina who flapped at a cross. The Zebrete then look to spread the ball around. And in the fifteenth minute win a costlesskick on the edge of the Liverpool eighteen yard area. Di Natale whips in a real beauty and Mehdi Benatia rises above everyone to force Reina into a smart save.
Panic over for the reds as they look set to take control of the remainder of the first half. Fabio Borini with a half chance from a tight angle dosen't threaten Brkic. Liverpool work the ball beautifully right to left, left to right. Exposing any gaps in the Udinese midfield. They didn't have to wait long to break the deadlock however.
Jonjo Shelvey starts the move finding Stewart Downing in space on the right. Who intern crosses a delightful ball to Shelvey who makes a run into the penalty area to head home powerfully giving Brkic no chance. Liverpool one up! A move started and finished by the impressive Shelvey.
Shelvey attempts to split Udinese open soon after, but Danilo Larangera intercepts his pass. The visitors had to wait until the half hour mark for Roberto Pereyra to latch onto a rare loose pass from Joe Allen. The Argentine midfielder feeds Di Natale who curls a rising shot over Reina's crossbar.
Liverpool hit back with Glen Johnson surging down the right, his cross/shot nearly deceiving Brkic. Liverpool then set up camp in the Udinese half. Entirely dictating play with fluidity in possession, and composure on the ball without really leading to any real threat on goal. The referee blows up for halftime with the reds in a commanding position.
Guidolin needed to change Udinese if they were to get back into the game. And did so by introducing Andrea Lazzari in place of the invisable Pablo Armero. The Italian midfielder made an immediate impact. Recieving a quick pass from Di Natale who set Lazzari into space on the left. The substitute returned the favour teeing up Di Natale for a wonderful first time strike off the left foot, leaving Pepe Reina picking the ball out of his net. A sublime finish from Di Natale.
The Zebrete came out of the dressing room with an obvious dressing down from Guidolin in the interval. The attitude from the Italians had intensified. Giampiero Pinzi got tighter on Shelvey as Udinese set about obstructing Liverpool's hold on possession. Brendan Rodgers decided to play his ace cards just after the hour mark. Withdrawing Henderson and Assaidi for the deadly duo of Suarez and Gerrard.
The hoasts set about regaining the lead when Downing accelerated down field. Only to be mobbed by a flying Pinzi, who had no intention to win the ball and was rightly yellow carded. Despite the Kop demanding a different colour. Guidolin quickly withdrew Pinzi's participation, and Brazilian summer signing Willian enters. Luis Suarez nearly contributed to an equaliser by lashing a volley across goal, only for Shelvey to preposterously block it on Brkic's line.
It was then Udinese who took a shocking lead when Lazzari's costlesskick was headed into his own net by Coates. The big Uruguayan seemingly under no pressure got his bearings wrong. Liverpool were barely able to recover before the visitors catapulted themselves into a 3-1 lead in an astonising three minute period! Di Natale at the heart of the move held up the ball on the edge of the Liverpool area. And rolled it to Giovanni Pasquale who unleashed a rocket of a left foot drive to defeat Reina.
Within two minutes Luis Suarez had pegged Udinese's advantage back to 3-2 with a beautiful costless kick that left Brkic scrambling across his line. From then on it was a Liverpool onslaught as they attacked the Kop end with hungar. Downing is next to float in an excellent ball over the Udinese defence. And finds the head of Suarez, but Brkic saves well initially then drops the ball and Marco Davide Faraoni hacks it clear before Suarez can react.
Raheem Sterling is next on to replace Borini. Liverpool up the urgency further with Gerrard and Suarez exhanging in a quick give n go move that dosen't come off. Suarez then homes in on goal and cleverly sneaks the ball between Maurizio Domizzi's legs before stinging the palms of a busy Brkic at his near post. The tall Swedish striker Mathias Ranégie comes onto replace Antonio Di Natale for the final knockings. As Liverpool continue to pour forward.
Gerrard interchanges with Suarez again but the striker slips whilst setting himself to pull the trigger. Shortly after Sterling see's his own attempt clear the Udinese cross bar. The officials declare four minutes will be added onto the ninety. One final surge forward for the reds, Shelvey finds Downing with space but fires directly at Brkic. Udinese hold on for a famous win, albeit a little fortunate due to Liverpool's failure to close out a game they were in control in.