Houllier was always likely to be judged on his team’s performance in the Barclaycard Premiership — where they occupy the fourth place they need if they are to reach the Champions League next season — but elimination from the Uefa Cup, a competition they won in 2001, comes as a severe blow to the Liverpool manager in his efforts to persuade his critics that he can take the club forward. Only by guiding his team back into Europe’ s elite can Houllier hope to retain control of his destiny, and that ambition may have been jeopardised by a recurrence of Michael Owen’s hamstring injury last night.
“Obviously I felt that the referee’s decision had a lot to do with the outcome,” Houllier said. “I think the decision was a bit outrageous, to be honest. If there was a push, it was three or four yards outside the box. None of their players were even claiming a penalty. I don’t think we would have given it if it had been for the away team, but the decision changed the game. We had had a plan, which was working, and then we not only conceded a penalty but also had to play the rest of the game with ten men away from home.”
In truth, from that moment on, it was something approaching mission impossible. Didier Drogba scored from the spot kick and Liverpool, with only one recognised central defender among their ten remaining men, were facing an almighty battle simply to hang on to the 1-1 draw and force extra time. It was to nobody’s surprise, then, when Marseilles took the lead on 58 minutes, Abdoulaye Meite rising unchallenged to head home a corner, but, even then, after losing Owen to injury, Liverpool showed enough character to force the issue in the closing stages.
Ultimately, Houllier may reflect that the tie was lost in the first leg at Anfield, when his team conceded a late equaliser to Drogba, but the impressive manner in which they started last night’s game entitled the manager to look elsewhere. If the initial aim was to silence the home crowd, which lived up to its hostile reputation, Liverpool succeeded in going one better, Heskey giving them a deserved 15th-minute lead with a fine finish after Harry Kewell dispossessed Laurent Batlles and Steven Gerrard threaded an incisive pass beyond the home defence.
Everything was going remarkably well, with the defence standing firm, but the game turned on 36 minutes. Liverpool surrendered possession cheaply for almost the first time and were caught on the counter-attack by the pace of Marlet. With only Jerzy Dudek to beat, the former Fulham forward was tugged to the floor by Biscan, who was still trudging his way towards the dressing-room in disbelief as Drogba confidently converted the penalty. From then on, it was a question of whether Liverpool could hold on.
Houllier’s natural inclination may have been to send on another defender, but, with a second goal needed at the other end, he persevered with three at the back. It made for a hectic contest, with Drogba denied by John Arne Riise’s last-ditch tackle, but, just when it seemed that they had weathered the storm, Liverpool fell behind, Meite rising to head home a corner from Demetrius Ferreira.
There was still more than half an hour to score the second goal that would have taken them through, but, though they showed character, Liverpool could not make the breakthrough. Without Owen, they lacked a focal point in attack, a worrying sign as he is likely to miss Sunday’s match away to Leicester City, when three points will be vital in their quest to finish fourth.
“More than anything, I feel frustrated for the fans and the players,” Houllier said. “As far as my position is concerned, I don’t know, but tonight the referee inflicted a blow on Liverpool Football Club.”
And their manager must hope that his words do not return to haunt him.
