Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 1: His players may have been waiting patiently for their pre-match pep-talk, but Bobby Robson, glued to the television in the press room, was too busy cursing England cricketer Andrew Flintoff's reckless demise against Sri Lanka.
In the end the Newcastle manager celebrated an unlikely draw for England with gusto. A few hours later, all talk of stalemates was taboo.
United clawed back a sloppily conceded deficit with some panache on Saturday, but the locals, and Robson, still departed grumbling that the solitary point gleaned actually allowed the gap to fourth to widen to four points. For Liverpool, horribly depleted by injury and unnerved by their own recent inconsistencies, this was a draw to savour in their distant pursuit of the top three.
Yet, as a contest, this merely illustrated the gulf between the top triumvirate and those stuck in the bottleneck who still aspire to reach the Champions League. The riotous second half, with Newcastle transformed from stodgy to sprightly, still lacked much coherent quality, even if the visitors emerged relatively content with their plunder.
These two meet on the season's final day, by which time Gerard Houllier will have a squad rather than a mishmash, albeit one he has largely assembled himself at a hefty cost, from which to choose. Last year he was denied passage to Europe's elite at Chelsea in the finale and, though the club denied reports yesterday linking Houllier to a job setting up an academy for the Australian FA and Martin O'Neill being sounded out to replace him, a similar fate this time round would hasten his departure.
"I hope the result on the last day can be decisive again," said the Frenchman. "Maybe we didn't play that well out there but you miss your best players. How would Newcastle play without (Alan) Shearer, (Laurent) Robert and (Shola) Ameobi? I enjoyed the spirit. There was a heart, a soul in the football in the second half."
That was also when Liverpool saw potential victory slip away. So stifling was their five-man midfield before the break that Newcastle departed in livid frustration as well as arrears. Titus Bramble's ridiculous intervention unseated his team-mate Jonathan Woodgate six minutes in and Danny Murphy trundled on to John Arne Riise's hopeful punt to walk the visitors ahead.
Yet, with Nolberto Solano introduced and United exploring new-found width thereafter, the home side's revival was impressive. Robert crumpled under Chris Kirkland's challenge, with Shearer crunching home the penalty. Riise and Murphy then cleared off the line from Kieron Dyer and Bramble, Jermaine Jenas air-kicked from six yards out before Kirkland tipped Shearer's final attempt thrillingly over the bar.
Kirkland, his penalty concession aside, excelled against the tide, commanding his area with authority and ensuring he will be first choice at Anfield from now on. Jerzy Dudek, still troubled by a knee injury according to his manager, though reportedly fit and frustrated, was not even on the bench here.
Dietmar Hamann did as much to disrupt the home side's rhythm. The German was making only his third start after a shin problem. Liverpool have missed his steadying influence. "He's a perfect wave-breaker," said Houllier.
Both these sides must make waves in the second half of the season to satisfy the demands of the boardroom as well as the supporters. "Our aim is fourth place because third isn't an option unless the teams at the top have enormous blips," Robson conceded. "It'll be the team who's most consistent which takes it."
For now the search for consistency goes on.
Guardian Service
