Moshiri invests in Everton

Image Source: Everton FC

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Everton Football Club

Everton Football Club today announced that the Club will have a new major shareholder who brings the promise of new investment.

Farhad Moshiri will acquire 49.9% of the Club, conditional only on the Premier League approving his investment.

Chairman Bill Kenwright commented: “After an exhaustive search I believe we have found the perfect partner to take the Club forward. I have got to know Farhad well over the last 18 months and his football knowledge, financial wherewithal and True Blue spirit have convinced me that he is the right man to support Everton.”

Moshiri added: “I am delighted to take this opportunity to become a shareholder in Everton, with its rich heritage as one of Europe's leading football clubs. There has never been a more level playing field in the Premier League than now.  Bill Kenwright has taught me what it means to be an Evertonian and I look forward with excitement to working with him to help deliver success for Everton in the future.”

Burnley Beaten As Reds Resurgence Rolls On

He's in there somewhere: Jordan
Henderson celebrates his goal with
the other Liverpool players.

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Result: Liverpool 2-0 Burnley
Date: Wednesday March 4 2015
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 44,717

Goals from Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge secured a 2-0 win for Liverpool as they easily handled Burnley at Anfield.

Liverpool came into this game with a spring in their step after a strong run of results which culminated in a victory over Manchester City last Sunday, whilst Burnley searched for an unlikely away win to boost their survival hopes after an own goal saw them lose to Swansea at the weekend.

The Reds were almost ahead inside 30 seconds as Sturridge capitalised on a one-two between Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling, with only the reflexes of Burnley keeper Tom Heaton keeping the ball out.

Liverpool continued to create chances with Henderson coming close off a rebound, and the away side were also trying to find a breakthrough, although their opportunities were less frequent and less imposing. In fact, much of the first half was more about Liverpool controlling the game but being unable to break down Burnley's defensive approach.

But Kopites wouldn't have to wait that much longer for the opening goal: with a Philippe Coutinho effort blocked by Jason Shackell, the ball came to Henderson outside the box who pinged a sweet shot from the outside of his right foot directly into the net. Liverpool were 1-0 up, and Henderson had opened the scoring for the second consecutive match. Jordan's confidence continues to grow, and it can only benefit Liverpool; he has played a vital role in the side's revival over the last few months.

Before half time, Coutinho and Sturridge had further chances, the latter once again being shut out by a superb Heaton stoppage. Burnley raised the hopes of their travelling fans when Danny Ings earned a free kick just outside the Liverpool penalty area, but they were unable to make the most of it.

In the second half, Liverpool kept searching for a second goal to seal victory in a game that, admittedly, they were firmly in control of. That all-important second goal came around 10 minutes into the second half, as a fine Henderson cross set up Sturridge for a rare headed goal (perhaps the unlikely nature of his strike explained the unexpected absence of his traditional dance celebration, opting for a general huddle with his colleagues instead).

Not much happened in the rest of the half, bar some more chances for Liverpool by Lallana and Alberto Moreno. Burnley gave it their best shot but just didn't threaten Liverpool enough to cause any serious trouble. Given the ease at which the Reds were maintaining control of the match, it's hard to imagine that any spectators truly believed Liverpool would surrender their lead following the first goal, never mind the second. But that shouldn't discount what was a strong, unspectacular yet professional performance by the home side on the back of a major win over the defending champions three days earlier.

So, the game went as the form book would have suggested. A fairly easy Liverpool win keeps the Reds firmly in the race for a top-four finish (the only disappointment for Liverpool is that all of their rivals for the European places won in midweek as well), although their attention now turns to a home tie in the FA Cup with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, where victory takes them back to Wembley Stadium - or Anfield South, as long-time Kopites used to call it. Burnley were obviously less happy at how things transpired, but there was no lack of effort from the Clarets and it really couldn't have been a surprising result to them. Overall, a satisfying night to be a Red.

Coutinho Creativity Keeps Liverpool Climbing

Philippe Coutinho is congratulated
after the win secured
by his stunning curler.

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Result: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City
Date: Sunday March 1 2015
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 44,590

A stunning curler from outside the box by Philippe Coutinho secured a major home win for Liverpool against Manchester City.

The victory keeps alive Liverpool's hopes of securing Champion's League football via a top four finish, but City's chances of retaining the Premier League title look slim after this result kept them five points behind Chelsea, with the League leaders still having a game in hand.

The identity of City has changed a lot in recent years due to the increase in their financial power, as has their trophy cabinet as a result, but one thing which has not changed is the club's fortunes against Liverpool at Anfield.

Before this game, they had only managed one win in their last 17 visits to the Reds, and despite Liverpool lagging far behind City in terms of points prior to kick-off, nothing would change here.

Liverpool started a little sluggish in defence but soon came to life, and after a few minutes Adam Lallana thought he had put the Reds ahead, only for his strike to be ruled out due to an offside decision.

Fortunately, Kopites did not have to long wait long to celebrate for real: less than 11 minutes into the game, a sweet strike by Jordan Henderson (captaining once again in the absence of Steven Gerrard) went in with a little help from the underside of the crossbar, and Liverpool were in front.

It was another sign of Henderson's growth as a potential future captain, and goals like this mark a nice resemblance to Gerrard and his habit of providing stand-out moments of quality in big games.

Mind you, as encouraging as this was, it would only retain its power if City were kept abay. Alas, after knocking on the Reds' door a few times, the titleholders equalised on the 26-minute mark with a straight finish by Edin Dzeko, although the manner in which City were able to carve open the opportunity gave a reminder to manager Brendan Rodgers - or The Brodge, as nicknamed by Noel Gallagher recently on Match Of The Day 2 - that whilst his side's fortunes have improved in recent weeks, his defence is still prone to the occasional bout of jitters.

Liverpool's defence remained quite shaky for the rest of the half, but they hung in there and, in the second half, the game became a more open affair on both sides, as each team took it in turns to create good chances, some - including more than one effort by Sergio Aguero - being only a whisker away from going in. Lallana actually had the ball in the net for the second time but, for the second time on the day, an offside flag made it obsolete.

It looked like anybody's game, although the neutral would have assumed by the passage of play that City would be the team to find a way through if either side was to secure three points.

Instead, with just over 15 minutes left, Coutinho set himself up with a touch and right-footed it around Joe Hart high into the net. Anfield was bouncing; once again, the underdogs were ahead, and this time they would not let the lead slip.

City continued pressing for another equaliser, and brought on Frank Lampard in an attempt to somehow get that second goal. But time was not on City's side and, with the Reds focused on denying their opponents the slightest chance at earning a point, Liverpool held on for what stands as their biggest win of the season.

Although nothing could equal the electricity and emotion of Liverpool's 3-2 win over City last April, this result came close. The reactions of the Anfield faithful indicated how important this win was in proving Liverpool's revival is for real, and puts Rodgers' team just two points behind fourth-place Manchester United.

After this defeat, Manuel Pelligrini will privately realise that it will take more than a slip-up to keep the Premier League title at the Etihad this season. For Brendan Rodgers, though, this win must have been extremely satisfying: whilst it has looked like Liverpool have been on the right track for a good few weeks now, this milestone victory proved it, and ensures that the Reds will have a busy two months on the horizon as the 2014/5 season comes to a close. Next up is Burnley: ahead of that game, the message for Liverpool after this win has to be: "We Go Again".