One down...

Ballack: Eye on the return leg

Liverpool take the initiative back to Anfield for the second-leg of the Champions League quarter-finals clash after drawing 1-1 with Arsenal at the Emirates.

Dirk Kuyt scored the crucial away goal with a scrappy effort, a mere three minutes after Emmanuel Adebayor powered the Gunners into the lead with a towering header.

Kuyt was at the centre of the action all night and was involved in the talking point of the match after apparently pulling down Alexander Hleb in the Liverpool box – only for the referee to wave play on.

An infuriated Arsene Wenger commented: ‘It was a blatant penalty, under the eyes of the referee.’

‘I feel we were not rewarded for what we produced - and we had the chances to win it.

‘We were a bit unlucky with a big decision of the referee on the penalty. It's difficult to take, but we have to swallow it.’

MegaStar suspects (with tongue firmly in cheek) it may have something to with Dutch referee Peter Vink hailing from a town five miles from Dirk Kuyt’s birthplace.

So it’s one down, two to go in the Arsenal/Liverpool trilogy. It’s back to the Emirates on Saturday for the Premier League clash before the return leg at Anfield.

Will Arsene Wenger be playing nicely come mid next week?

Chelsea have an uphill task for the return leg of their Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge next week after going down 2-1 to Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

The Blues can take solace in a crucial away goal courtesy after Deivid diverted Florent Malouda's cross into his own net on 13 minutes.

Avram Grant still feels Chelsea can progress to the semi-finals on the strength of the performance, despite the defeat.

‘I feel good. If we play like we did in most of the game, then we can win, said Grant.

‘Normally it is a good result to lose 2-1 away but because we played the better football we are disappointed.’

‘We wanted to have the second leg at home - now we need to use it.’

Maybe Grant should dig around to see if the referee is a third cousin to member of one of Chelsea’s foreign legion. Champions League semi for the cost of a Christmas card – sounds a deal.

share this story: