Gerrard sees red as 'Pool go down
Substitutes Steven Gerrard and Neil Mellor were sent off as Liverpool lost 2-1 in a bad-tempered match against Galatasaray in the Amsterdam tournament.
Mellor was given a straight red card for a dreadful mistimed tackle on Gabriel Tamas only minutes after coming on late in the match.
And England midfielder Gerrard also saw red, apparently for dissent in the wake of Mellor’s dismissal, after also being booked his part in a second-half flare-up involving several players.
It had been sparked by Igor Biscan’s poor challenge on Berkant Goktan but Gerrard was enraged by the angry reaction of Hakan Sukur.
Liverpool fell behind when former Blackburn striker Sukur’s through-ball allowed Brazilian midfielder Joao Batista to slot the ball past Chris Kirkland and into the corner of the net.
Two of Liverpool’s most impressive pre-season performers, Vladimir Smicer and Emile Heskey, combined to level.
Michael Owen laid the ball off for the Czech to cross and England striker Heskey powered home a fine header.
But another Brazilian, Cesar Prates, left Kirkland flailing again when he scored directly from a free-kick.
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier said of the sendings-off: “They lost a bit of their cool. It damaged the atmosphere and we couldn’t play well after that.”
Gerrard is set to feature in England’s Euro 2004 qualifying match in Turkey in October, and Houllier admitted: “It’s going to be some game in October.
“The whole thing was started by a bad tackle by Igor Biscan but the guy was not even injured.”
Gerrard will miss the Reds’ opening game of the Barclaycard Premiership season against Chelsea at Anfield on August 17 following his two bookings at Stamford Bridge on the final day of last season.
However, Houllier does not think the midfielder will receive a further ban because of today’s red card during what was supposed to be a ‘friendly’.
“No, I don’t think so – it was two yellow cards,” he added. “I think he was frustrated because of the reaction of Hakan Sukur.”
Houllier told Sky Sports: “I think they had three chances in the whole game and scored two goals.
“I knew at some stage there would be a difficult tournament after our trip to the Far East and in fairness some of the players looked a little bit drained.”
Elsewhere in today’s pre-season friendlies, Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven beat Tottenham 2-0 at White Hart Lane.
Ji-Sung Park was allowed a free header from an eighth-minute corner to open the scoring and Spurs were fortunate not to fall further behind with highly-rated Serbian striker Mateja Kezman spurning several opportunities.
Arjen Robben finished the game off with PSV’s second goal in the dying minutes.
Southampton drew 2-2 at Millwall, one of the teams they defeated on their way to the FA Cup final last season.
Saints midfielder Paul Telfer pulled the ball back from the byline for Brett Ormerod to score the opening goal after 15 minutes at the New Den.
Southampton replaced goalkeeper Javier Sanchez Broto, on trial from Celtic, with Paul Jones at half-time and Millwall soon equalised when Paul Ifil chased the ball down the right and crossed for Neil Harris to score.
Summer signing Fitz Hall put the Saints in front again almost immediately but the First Division side again had striker Harris to thank when he was alert to finish when Saints keeper Paul Jones pushed out Ifil’s shot.
First Division Derby earned an impressive 3-1 victory over Spanish Primera Division outfit Real Mallorca.
Rams youngster Izale McLeod could have had a hat-trick inside the first 25 minutes but, after heading the opener and scoring a penalty, he failed to convert a second spot-kick.
Gianfranco Tome made amends shortly before half-time by nodding in the third goal after his shot had been blocked on the line.
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o reduced the deficit in the 85th minute with a smart turn and shot.
