Portsmouth 1 - 0 Liverpool

Portsmouth 1-0 Liverpool

Updated: October 18, 2003, 12:18 PM ET

Patrik Berger's triumphant early strike against the club who gave him away was sufficient to earn Portsmouth a 1-0 win over Liverpool.

But the big story at Fratton Park was another chapter of Liverpool's demise as the Anfield side fell to a third consecutive Premiership defeat.

• Houllier bemoans missed chances

Pompey needed to repair a lapsed start to top-flight life and did so with guts, style and no little talent.

And in Berger they had just the man for the big occasion. The man who led the Czech Republic to the Euro 96 final is still only 29 and still wowing them with his left-side midfield skills.

Yet somehow, Gerard Houllier gave him just one first-team start last season and decided he was surplus to requirements.

His move to the south coast has been a dream so far - and this was a dream start which provided a glowing finish.

In the end Portsmouth deserved to at least double their advantage when Yakubu Ayegbini's shot came back off the crossbar but they will settle for a short-head verdict.

Liverpool, though, should not settle for that at all. They are in a crisis which substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle's two near-misses right at the death could not disguise. Without the injured Michael Owen again they looked toothless.

The visitors should have been ahead even before Berger stunned them with his third-minute strike, almost caressing the ball beyond Jerzy Dudek's grasp after Sebastian Schemmel collected a glorious Sheringham cross-field ball down the right flank and deposited it to the near-post.

It came just seconds after Heskey's almost casual shot bounced back off a post after he had shrugged off Dejan Stefanovic's attentions to get onto El Hadji Diouf's through-ball in the box and face up Shaka Hislop.

But although it needed a much better intervention by Stefanovic - who went off before half-time - to end a twinkling run by Kewell and centre-back partner Arjan de Zeeuw - who cleared a Steven Gerrard free-kick off the line - Liverpool looked out-gunned before the break.

Berger was chasing everywhere in extended celebration of his goal and saw two more goalbound efforts charged down, once by Sami Hyypia and then Dudek.

The Czech, who won the German title with Borussia Dortmund nearly 10 years ago, got so excited he was also booked for dissent by referee Steve Dunn in the incident which brought Gerrard's free-kick.

Boris Zivkovic was harshly ruled to have handled and Gerrard curled the ball low around the defensive wall to squeeze under Hislop's body.

However, de Zeeuw was ideally placed and had the presence of mind to scrape the ball off the line.

Pompey looked dodgy at times at the back but their attack never lacked for drive and determination - especially Nigerian battler Ayegbini, a constant muscular menace.

Add the delicate touches of Sheringham and Berger and Steve Stone and it was easy to see why Liverpool struggled.

Had Nigel Quashie not misguidedly leapt for a dipping Schemmel cross after 36 minutes and taken it right off the unmarked Sheringham's toe things could have been worse for Liverpool.

Houllier's troops had to improve in the second half and for a while it seemed that their midweek UEFA cup win over Slovenia's Olimpija had restored their confidence.

They had Pompey's nervous defence running backwards soon after the break and John Arne Riise had a half-chance from a poorly-cleared corner which he blazed over the crossbar.

Heskey cut in to produce a good save from Hislop but a few debatable decisions by referee Steve Dunn stirred the home crowd and seemed to lift their team's hearts again.

Berger needed no urging. He put a beautiful ball on Ayegbini's chest and it was a real pity the Nigerian could not control it as he eased into the area. Dudek took his chance to save the day.

Then Ayegbini again, twisting and turning, went past two defenders before Igor Biscan crudely brought him down on the edge of the box.

Biscan then stunned his team-mates as well with a misplaced header from a Pompey free-kick which he smacked against his own crossbar.

Pompey proved once again that they have the quality and certainly the heart to play at this level, with Amdy Faye their Senegal midfielder a major factor.

But the unstinting work of old war-horses like Stone, Sheringham and Dutchman de Zeeuw can never be underestimated.

Houllier bemoans missed chances

After the match Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier looked shattered as he suffered his third successive Premiership defeat for the first time since taking charge.

'I can't say I was happy with the way we played,' admitted Houllier, 'but half our team are on the sidelines.

'If there was a difference between the two sides it was probably freshness. Our attitude was right but we missed chances.

'We could have scored in the first minute and five times in the second half.

'And when you are not having your best day you cannot afford to do that, It was not the kind of game we usually have.'

Patrik Berger's third-minute strike was enough to destroy his old club and end Pompey's dismal run of three successive defeats with a glorious victory.

But Houllier refused to discuss Berger whom he allowed to leave Anfield at the end of last season on a free transfer after just one first-team start all campaign.

Instead Houllier said injured Michael Owen's target for a comeback from his shin injury is against Leeds next weekend.

'He had no chance today, none at all,' said Houllier who gave Portsmouth due credit.

He said: 'When we hit the post in the first minute it boosted them rather than us. It gave them something to hang onto and they defended with their hearts.'

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp put fellow veterans Steve Stone and Teddy Sheringham on an equal footing with goal hero Berger.

Redknapp said: 'They were all outstanding - especially Steve who had to see a chiropractor before the match because he had a bad back.

'And they told me I had better take him off before the end if I was going to play him. But he did so well I thought I would rather leave him on and make sure we got three points. He ran everywhere.

'It was a big result for us although I'm not sure it was as good as getting a draw at Highbury. But we needed this one and I was confident before the start that we would get it.

'The players know we should have got more out of the games we've played. There was always the psychological fear we would throw it away again like against Charlton the other week.

'It was great for Patrik. He enjoyed that goal and he's enjoying g being here with us. It has given his career a lift with the move and I think he can keep doing a terrific job for us. He's played well all season.'

Redknapp revealed, however, that centre-half Dejan Stefanovic has damaged an ankle, having been taken off in the first half while on-loan Russian midfielder Alexei Smertin had surgery today on a damaged cartilage which could also reveal ligament damage.