Liverpool yesterday confirmed their November form was no fluke. It was the Reading match that was the blip, as mentally they were already in the South of France even though physically they were still in the South of England. It was a complete performance, that fits well with any other great European performance since the first match in Iceland against KR Reykyavik way back in 1964.
Liverpool were urgent, and they opened the score in the first three minutes. Steven Gerrard caught the Marseille defence flat footed and just drove stubbornly to the penalty area with the net in his vision. A scathing tackle brought him down. He got up and from the penalty spot he took charge of his drive’s reward. His shot was saved momentarily but the rebound fell nicely to him. He could not miss and did not.
Liverpool were in a class of their own and their current talisman, a certain twenty-three year old on his first season and debuting in the Champions League this year stamped it all eight minutes later. This is a lad who at the moment can dance through a minefield with a cigarette between his toes wearing a smile on his face. He accepted Kewell’s pass while at the very end of their penalty area. He shimmied one, then deceived another while surrounded by a couple of their defenders and then just coolly finished beyond their keeper and into the corner of their net.
Liverpool then exuded confidence and supremacy, with a strong wind blowing in their winds. The November momentum and their European pedigree carried them onwards and upwards. For a team representing the largest commercial port in France, les Marseillaise couldn’t grasp what type of vessel has invaded their port. Earlier on, from their radars it showed it is an English one. They knew such vessels, and they have conquered six of them during their history, even one coming from the same port, a mere three years ago.

But that ship back then had a different captain and different crew. And this crew did not travel to Marseille to trade or negotiate. This ship came to conquer. This ship was a proper Liverpool ship that once again showed that it can navigate through any European waters and is a different breed or make from any other English ship. This has a different knowledge and nous of the European waters.

And then in the second forty-five minutes Liverpool just sailed with the swagger and confidence of a triumphant ship. It was then Kuyt’s turn to add his name on the score-sheet as the resurgent Harry Kewell anticipated an awry clearance and passed to the Dutch man who one on one with the keeper did not miss. His hard work got rewarded.
Time passed on and the only thing Liverpool failed to do in these second forty-five minutes was plant a flag of the Liverbird with five stars in the middle of the pitch. The strong wind still continued to blow in Liverpool’s sails and sensing such momentum Rafael Benitez threw in his young Dutch prodigy Ryan Babel. And for the fourth time in such circumstances after Besiktas at Anfield, Newcastle at St James Park and Bolton at Anfield, Babel wrapped up, sealed and perfected another vintage Liverpool performance. Running on a through-ball from Fabio Aurelio, he shrugged a challenge and then passed to him while evading the keeper’s charge presenting himself with an empty net to pass through.

The very important and crucial week has started in perfect fashion. Rafael Benitez is proud by his fans, squad and work. Sunday presents another encounter that could provide defining, but Liverpool could not set themselves in any better shape or form.