Downing enjoys rare high as Reds see off Russians

Liverpool 1 Anzhi Makhachkala 0

Downing cracked home an unstoppable effort from outside the box in the 53rd minute after coming in from the left flank.

The win was no less than the Reds deserved having been the better side for much of the contest, and they now lead the group with six points from three games.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers fielded a strong side including the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, resisting the temptation to rest a host of players ahead of Sunday’s Premier League derby at Everton and making only three changes from the win over Reading on Saturday.

He was rewarded with an impressive performance.

“Great credit to the players, to be fair I haven’t even been thinking about the derby game, for us it’s really just about one game at a time at the moment and Anzhi are a very good side with some outstanding players,” he said. “Tonight was an excellent performance.”

It was clear Rodgers was not about to underestimate nouveaux riche Anzhi, who lead the Russian top-flight and are managed by one-time Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink.

The Reds were looking to bounce back from a 3-2 home defeat to Udinese in their previous but failed to really trouble visiting goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov early on, collecting a tame effort from Suarez before Jonjo Shelvey blazed over from the edge of the box.

Johnson found himself through on goal in the 35th minute but failed to get a shot in and took a tumble under the attentions of Kamil Agalarov, with the referee waving the Reds defender’s penalty claims away.

Rodgers added new impetus to his attack at the interval by introducing Raheem Sterling for Johnson, and there were encouraging signs for Liverpool soon after the break, with Martin Skrtel’s powerful drive bringing a save out of Gabulov before Gerrard headed Shelvey’s cross wide.

The Reds kept up the pressure and moments later they made the breakthrough as Downing, who had been shifted to left-back, cut in from out wide and smashed the ball into the net. The goal thrilled his manager.

Rodgers said: “It was brilliant goal. He’s had a rough ride here really, it’s been difficult time for him, but he got a great round of applause from the Kop and if you can get that from the Kop then it’ll give you a massive lift going forward.”

Suarez almost swiftly added another with a strike that went just the wrong side of the post and Shelvey then sent a shot into Gabulov’s arms.

With the lead still only at 1-0 though, Liverpool could not afford to switch off at the back and they survived a scare in the 70th minute when defensive sloppiness saw the ball come to Samuel Eto’o, whose effort was saved by Jones.

Gerrard fired over while substitute Mehdi Carcela went close at the other end before the full-time whistle confirmed Liverpool’s win.

LIVERPOOL: Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson (Sterling 46), Gerrard, Sahin, Shelvey (Allen 80), Downing, Suarez, Assaidi.

ANZHI MAKHACHKALA: Vladimir Gabulov, Agalarov (Logashov 61), Samba, Joao Carlos, Zhirkov, Shatov, Georgi Gabulov, Boussoufa (Lakhiyalov 77), Carcela-Gonzalez, Eto’o, Smolov (Traore 64).

Ref: Bas Nijhuis (Holland).