Reading - Liverpool 3-1 Goal Highlights 08-12-2007

Premier League

Goals: Hunt 17’ (pen), Doyle 60’, Harper 67’ - Gerrard 28’

Rafael Benitez looked on in disbelief as Liverpool's unbeaten start to this season's Premier League came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Reading who won 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium here Saturday.

Benitez refused to apologize for thinking of Liverpool's make-or-break Champions League clash with Marseille as the Reds lost against Reading - their first loss in the Premier League this season.

Benitez took off club captain Steven Gerrard, defender Jamie Carragher and top scorer Fernando Torres because he could not see a way back into the match for his side.

"I wanted to rest my key players because I did not feel we were going to get back in the game at 3-1," Benitez said.

"We had three or four good chances but could not take them so I decided to take off my key players to give them a rest.

"We tried to change it with different players with pace and fresh legs. The Champions League is important. Marseille is the target now," the Spaniard added.

"Torres had a kick on his ankle so was at risk. He will be okay.

"There are some big games coming up in the next few weeks and I want the players fresh."

Stephen Hunt's penalty, Kevin Doyle's header and James Harper's smart finish were enough to see off a lacklustre Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard replied for the visitors but they never looked like the team who had grabbed 21 goals in their last five games and the Reds failed to keep the pressure on the leaders at the top of the table.

Ahead of Liverpool's must-win Champions League clash away to Marseille on Tuesday, club captain Gerrard was substituted with 20 minutes to go much to the England midfielder's obvious displeasure.

This result left Liverpool seven points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal, who could go 10 clear of Benitez's side if they beat Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Benitez felt his side were harshly treated by referee Andre Marriner, who gave Reading their penalty even though the foul clearly took place outside the area and then turned down Liverpool's appeal for a spot-kick after Fernando Torres was tripped.

"There were some decisions that we didn't profit from. They had a penalty given and we didn't get one," Benitez said. "I think it (Reading's penalty) was outside. If it was a penalty it should have been a yellow card for this type of foul.

"For me it was a clear penalty for the foul by (Ibrahima) Sonko on Torres. Even if he got a touch on the ball it was after. The player was running and it was a foul. It is a penalty."

Liverpool striker Torres should have opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he missed a glorious opportunity.

John Arne Riise's long throw caused chaos in the Reading area and the ball fell to the Spaniard, Liverpool's leading scorer in the league, ten yards out.

He seemed surprised and lashed the ball straight at Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann who saved with his legs and the ball was cleared.

Reading though were given a controversial penalty in the 16th minute when Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have brought down Brynjar Gunnarrsson on the edge of the box.

Referee Marriner pointed straight to the spot as he was surrounded by furious Liverpool players.

The offence appeared to start outside the area and Gunnarrsson only fell to the floor when he got inside the box.

After a minute's delay, while the referee consulted his linesman, Reading midfielder Hunt kept his cool to send Pepe Reina the wrong way.

Bobby Convey almost doubled his side's advantage in the 20th minute when he fired a 25-yard piledriver just over the bar with Reina grasping at thin air.

Liverpool got a deserved equaliser just before the half hour mark through talisman Gerrard.

Reina's clearance was knocked on by Torres and Gerrard raced through to plant the ball past Hahnemann and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Jack Hobbs, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool, looked assured at right-back and made a decent challenge on Convey to stop the American in his tracks.

Marriner waved away strong penalty appeals just before the break when Torres was tripped by Ibrahima Sonko in the box.

Angry Liverpool players again surrounded the referee but he refused to point to the spot even though it looked a clear penalty.

Liverpool came out firing after the break and almost grabbed a second through the excellent Torres.

Peter Crouch broke down the right and left Nicky Shorey on the floor as he crossed back to Torres on the six-yard line.

Torres made a poor connection and the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the left hand post. Gerrard was booked just before the hour when he brought down Hunt with a tackle from behind.

He was made to pay for his mistake when Shorey swung over a vicious free-kick that Republic of Ireland international Doyle got the faintest of touches on to nod home form eight yards.

Doyle almost grabbed a second when he latched on to Hahnemann's goal-kick, turned and fired a shot just over the bar.

Captain marvel Gerrard tried to drag Liverpool back into the game and was unlucky when his 30-yard blockbuster came back off the bar.

Harper made matters worse for Liverpool in the 67th minute when the midfielder ran on to Dave Kitson's through-ball, burst clear and rounded Reina before calmly sliding the ball into the net.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty (Cisse 90’), Sonko (Bikey 81’), Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Convey (Lita 88’), Doyle, Kitson.

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher (Hyypia 82), Hobbs, Riise, Gerrard (Babel 71’), Mascherano, Sissoko, Voronin, Torres (Kewell 61’), Crouch.