Minute-by-minute report
Leeds reaction | Liverpool reaction
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Video Reaction: Heskey
Opta Index

Emile Heskey confirmed Liverpool's championship credentials with a powerful double at Elland Road that proved his alarming goal drought is well and truly over.

The England striker, who ended a run of 14 games without a goal with the winner against Leicester in midweek, hammered home twice in the second half. A Rio Ferdinand own goal got the Reds off to a flier and Michael Owen's 12th of the season sealed an historic win.

Liverpool's victory, their third successive league success, was their biggest ever over a shell-shocked Leeds in Yorkshire and crowned an impressive afternoon's work for the men from Merseyside.

The visitors were superior in every department and in Steven Gerrard had the game's most influential player at the heart of their side. The day was billed as the Robbie Fowler show, but the England midfielder was undoubtedly the star pick.

The deserved three-point haul takes them up to third in the table and within striking distance of Premiership pacemakers Manchester United. Leeds, however, are now nine points off the pace and rocking.    

They have now failed to win since a 3-0 triumph over West Ham on January 1 kicked-off 2002 in fine style. But after ringing in the New Year, O'Leary's side have looked a mere shadow of their former selves.

They are now in danger of stalling as the rest of the title challengers go wheel-spinning into the distance. And as was the case in the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge four days earlier, they registered a limp display while failing to score.

The loss of form of pre-Christmas stars Mark Viduka and Lee Bowyer is as spectacular as it is worrying. But it is the lack of the tenacity and the never-say-die spirit that took them to within a whisker of a Champions League final place last season that disturbs.

Liverpool established their dominance within seconds of the first whistle. Reds shirts thudded into Oliver Dacourt, Fowler and Viduka were within the first 90 seconds. Leeds briefly responded with force as Harry Kewell left stud marks on Gerrard's ankle, but it didn't last long.

It took the visitors just seven minutes to conjure the first chance. Heskey beat Dominic Matteo to Gerrard's flick into the box and saw his instinctive toe-poke put Michael Owen in for a shot on goal. The England striker shaped to shoot before colliding with Ian Harte, but his appeal for a penalty was rightly turned down.

Harte then burst to life at the other end and sent a pacy ball across the face of goal that beat both attackers and defenders. It was only a brief sign of life and on 16 minutes Liverpool took the lead. Heskey chased down a lost cause near the left touchline and earned a free-kick off of Gary Kelly, albeit for the slightest of infringements. 

Danny Murphy fizzed an inswinging cross into the heart of the Leeds defence and as Ferdinand kept one eye on the movement of a bustling Heskey, the Leeds skipper inadvertently helped the ball past a rooted Nigel Martyn. The goal, however, owed more to the delivery of the cross than any defensive misgiving.

Leeds hurried and scurried in midfield, but with the returning Kewell the only forward in a white shirt displaying anything like his best form, their task of breaking down an admirably resolute Liverpool backline was one they never looked likely to complete.

Two driving runs from the Australian and an insinctive volley from David Batty that flew wide lifted a frowning Elland Road faithful, but Liverpool were again looking the side most likely to. Didi Hamann hammered just over from distance while only poor execution from Owen on the stroke of half-time stopped his close-range effort doubling the lead.

The beleaguered Jamie Carragher went into the book for hoofing Lee Bowyer up into the air in the 38th minute, but Liverpool's determination to dive into every tackle and challenge for every ball was the main reason why they never looked like losing their lead.

One man conspicuous by his absence up to this point was Fowler who had a disappointing day. The man known as 'God' at Anfield was looking anything but omnipotent in the Leeds attack. After 50 minutes he briefly threatened to pounce when Bowyer fired a cross in from the right that had just too much pace, and two late efforts were more in hope than expectation of a goal.

Owen then caused Martyn to produce the save of the match three minutes later with a thunderous right-foot volley from 20 yards that he acrobatically tipped over the bar. But Martyn was helpless when Heskey raced onto Gerarrd's incisive pass in the 61st minute and powered the ball into the net after rounding the England keeper.

The striker then completed a rampant two-minute spell by grabbing his second when he reacted first in a congested box and slammed the ball high into the net past a despairing Martyn.

Gerrard fires into another solid tackle

Jerzy Dudek, maturing into a world class keeper by the game, continued his sturdy defiance at the other end with a stunning save from Viduka's header.

Liverpool's joy and Leeds' misery was complete on 90 minutes when Owen was first to his own rebound after his header had been tipped onto the crossbar by a flying save from Martyn. The Leeds keeper was left flat out on the floor as Owen's Red shirt wheeled away into the distance. It was characteristic of the contest and maybe the title race, too.

MAN OF THE MATCH: STEVEN GERRARD (LIVERPOOL)
Liverpool and England are lucky to have him. Could be a star in the World Cup if he avoids injury.


Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Dacourt (Wilcox 57), Batty, Kewell (Keane 75), Fowler, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, McPhail, Duberry.
Booked: Matteo, Kewell.
 
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz, Riise, Wright, Hamann, Gerrard (McAllister 90), Murphy, Owen, Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Xavier, Smicer, Anelka.
Booked: Carragher.

Att: 40,216
Ref: G Poll (Tring)

OPTA INDEX

Leeds	Team	Liverpool
0	Goals	4
4	Shots On Target (inc Goals)	7
8	Shots Off Target	2
2	Blocked Shots	2
7	Corners	6
14	Fouls Conceded	9
2	Offsides	0
2	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0

MINUTE-BY-MINUTE UPDATES
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F-T: 0-4
90min GOAL! Owen bundles a fourth after hopeful long throw
87min Tame Hamann effort easy for Martyn
84min Improvised Keane effort straight at Dudek
83min Looks all over bar the shouting
76min Fowler forces corner for Leeds - nothing comes of it
75min SUB & BOOKING! Kewell is replaced by Keane, but not before he's booked for his troubles
73min Hamann fouls Kewell, who kicks his boot at Poll in frustration
70min OOH! Dudek stops Fowler drive at point-blank range
69min OOH! Unbelievable tip away by Dudek from Viduka header
67min HMM.. Henchoz seems to bring down Fowler in box. Mr Poll waves play on.
63min GOAL! Would you believe it! Heskey strikes again from close range after a corner
61min GOAL! Heskey doubles lead after rounding Martyn from superb Gerrard pass
60min Viduka turns well but his shot is appalling
57min SUB Wilcox on for Dacourt
56min Riise wins corner - comes to nothing
55min Quick Liverpool break comes to nothing
53min OOH! Owen howitzer brilliantly tipped over by Martyn
50min Bowyer cross just too far in front of Fowler
49min O'Leary up in arms on the touchline
47min Gerrard blazes over after Owen skins Harte
46min We're off again

HALF-TIME - Same old story - The Reds have the lead and they won't give it up easily
45min OOH! Owen pokes straight at Martyn from three yards
45min OOH! Hamann rocket deflects just over
45min BOOKING! Matteo hacks down Owen from behind
44min The game's gone to pieces
38min Dudek fists away Harte free-kick confidently
37min BOOKING! Carragher in hot water again for late tackle on Bowyer
35min Speculative Batty volley skews wide
34min Gerrard sends Batty flying - no foul
33min Heskey wins corner - comes to nothing
32min Dudek unable to take goal kicks - it's a groin strain
32min Leeds struggling with the final ball
30min Gerrard long-ranger bobbles past post
25min Good run from Bowyer, but he loses control of the ball
23min Dacourt grubber easy for Dudek
19min Leeds reply with a series of corners - to no avail
16min GOAL! Rio Ferdinand puts through his own net from Murphy free-kick
15min Kewell threatening down the left
10min Batty ruins fleet-footed work with woeful pass
9min Harte fizzer comfortably wide
7min Owen down in the box - no penalty, but no booking either
6min OUCH! Kewell leaves a foot in on Gerrard
6min Cross-shot from Riise skids wide
4min First touch for Kewell
3min Murphy forces Liverpool corner
2min Tackles flying in early on
1min Gerrard lets Dacourt know he's there
0min We're off in west Yorkshire - how will Fowler fare