Gerrard and Mellor see red as Liverpool lose to Galatasaray

ENGLAND midfielder Steven Gerrard and striker Neil Mellor were sent off as Liverpool lost 2-1 to Galatasaray in the Amsterdam tournament yesterday.

Both players were dismissed in the last five minutes of a bad-tempered game.

Mellor was handed a straight red card for clattering into Gabriel Tamas. Gerrard, booked earlier for a foul on Berkant Goktan which prompted an angry confrontation between opposing players, then swiftly followed for comments made to Dutch referee Rene Temmink.

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier said he did not expect Gerrard or Mellor to be banned because the match was a friendly. “The only good thing about tonight is that the red cards won’t have any consequences,” Houllier told reporters.

“We didn’t play so well and looked rather tired in this phase of the pre-season.” Brazilian midfielder Joao Batista had fired the Turkish side ahead before England striker Emile Heskey equalised with a header. Cesar Prates thumped home the winner six minutes before half-time with a superb free kick. Hosts Ajax Amsterdam and Inter Milan were playing later.

Liverpool, who drew 0-0 with Ajax on Friday, made a bright start, but Galatasaray took the lead against the run of play on 21 minutes when Hakan Sukur threaded through a fine pass to Batista who fired a low shot past Chris Kirkland.

The Liverpool goalkeeper then made two spectacular saves within seconds to keep out Fabio Pinto’s shot from close range and Ayhan Akman’s strike from outside the box.

Heskey equalised on 36 minutes, heading home a cross from Vladimir Smicer, who had earlier fired wide following a mazy run.

But the premier league’s celebrations proved shortlived, Portuguese Cesar Prates striking a free-kick beyond Kirkland three minutes later.