Liverpool V Leicester City
F.A Carling Premiership
April 21st 1999
City 1 Liverpool 0

Marshall (89)

CITY: KELLER , KAAMARK, SINCLAIR, ELLIOTT, IMPEY, SAVAGE, GUNNLAUGSSON, LENNON, GUPPY, MARSHALL, COTTEE. SUBS: CAMPBELL, FENTON, ARPHEXAD , ZAKORAKIS, MILLER. 

LIVERPOOL: JAMES, SONG, CARRAGHER, BABB, LEONHARDSEN, McMANAMAN, REDKNAPP, INCE, MATTEO, RIEDLE, THOMPSON,                                     
Att: 30,019
Leicester Complete Well Deserved Double

by Peter Gilbert ........Peter@gilbux.freeserve.co.uk

I don't care what match is on TV tonight - I'm a Leicester Fan and that's that. So what if Man Utd are playing the best team in the world in the semi-final of the best competition in the world - I'm a Leicester Fan. Anyway I've been to Turin and it's hardly what you might call an exotic place and the weather looked rainy on the news much like it is here. Don't get me wrong I'm not one of these people who don't support British teams when they play abroad I always want them to win - unless it's Chelsea who are I believe ruining English football with their over representation of foreigners, and Arsenal aren't much better, oh and I wouldn't mind if Tottenham were knocked out early in their European campaign. And why Newcastle Utd should be in Europe for getting to a cup semi-final I can't see and as for Sheff Wed qualifying through the fair play points is frankly a bit silly.

Emile Heskey was not playing (sore throat) and Kaamark played instead of the unfortunate Ullathorne who'd broken his leg.It was a windswept evening the air full of rain and it felt like midwinter.

Liverpool started in very lively fashion with McManaman taking us on. Liverpool were playing with Riedle as a lone striker and five in midfield. For City we wondered if Gunnlaugsson would be given a chance up front which was what people thought he'd been bought for,but Martin had different ideas. No; Marshall was up front and who could argue after his performance at Chelsea the other day.

Liverpool clearly thought that this game would be won in midfield as they swamped us in that area and really started the game like demons who wanted to get the evening over with as soon as possible. Leicester were surviving,only just,they couldn't seem to get their game going but a corner after eight minutes gave us a chance to apply some of our own pressure.Cottee gathered the ball, fed Guppy who set Lennon up for a wicked 25 yard shot which David James punched away.The following corner again saw James flapping, but getting away with it somehow. Moments later Keller kicked the ball at Riedle and had to dive to his left to save the re-bound. Personally I think goalkeepers ruin football matches,they should be just got rid of,why should anyone be allowed to use their hands in a football match? In my experience goalkeepers cause more angst than they justify.
This looks like a night when a long range shot might cause problems on the wet and slippery surface.

After 25 minutes it appeared that Leicester had got hold of the runaway train start Liverpool had managed.Kaamark was being given a hard time by Thompson, Impey was forced to defend for lengthy spells and Elliott was forced to hack the ball away wildly.The Liverpool formation meant that we had to mark their players closely but at the expense of our own game, we needed swift counter attacks as a response to worry the Liverpool game plan. Sinclair was showing signs of improved levels of concentration, application and discipline which when combined with his natural ability and desire to win makes him a very impressive performer. We desperately needed Heskey's power and presence up front, Cottee was politely ushered away from goal scoring situations,Marshall was subdued and Gunnlauggson was too quiet again. Lennon appeared to believe in himself and he strutted around the pitch bombastically delivering orders and passes with great effect.

We were happy with 0-0 at half time but I would imagine that once again we were upsetting the form book/media again. Was a win too much to ask for? We would then have done the double over the Anfield outfit, if you're talking about hat's with feathers in then that is one for sure.The Liverpool fans seemed generally displeased to hear that Man Utd were not out of it in Turin - we were never like that with Forest, were we?

It occurred to me that our strikers Cottee and Marshall are both ex-Everton, will this be significant?We started the second half very well as we often do and we went into a prolonged period of possession.One pass from Elliott was all of 60 yards. Arny was subbed off and Campbell came on,this would be a good night for him to live up to his promise. James continued to flap about and the Liverpool fans began to get itchy and frustrated.
It looked like the two sides had changed shirts, hopefully we could convert possession and chances into a goal. It now began to seem that if Leicester lost it would be an injustice.

Keller was forced into making a good save when Leonhardsen broke into the area and shot.
Cottee has never scored at Anfield, a golden opportunity came to him but he slipped at the vital moment.City continued to apply most of the pressure and the whole team was operating effectively as an efficient unit. This team would do well in Europe!
Marshall and Cottee continued to chip away pouncing on various half chances and with 5 mins. to go we fully deserved some sort of result as once again we genuinely showed that we not a bad side at all actually.

A minute from time the very unglamourous Ian Marshall who grew up in the back streets of Liverpool, who had to hack a living out of life became a journeyman footballer and who has not scored all season following injury and fitness problems and of whom Alan Hansen on MOTD said 'he's a trier but (laughs) his legs have gone.' Well his legs haven't gone, he picked up the ball scampered forward and smashed the ball into the roof of the net in the 89th minute. It was a well deserved winner.
Our chests swelled with pride as the players came across to applaud the presence of the Blue Army and the Liverpool fans could only boo their team but on reflection they will realise that they were undone by well thought out football tactics.

This was a victory for footballers as opposed to Superstars as once again we confound the critics and move nicely onto 43 points. Now a home win would be nice.