So this was it. I stood in the tunnel at Anfield, team sheet in my hand, my suit feeling awkward and uncomfortable as I waited for Brendan Rodgers to exchange team sheets. Jose Fonte stood next to me in his tracksuit, ready to shake hands with Henderson, the opposing skipper.
"Rickie!" came a shout from behind me. I turn around and see Brendan Rodgers smiling at me, team sheet in hand.
"Hey Gaffer, how you doing?" I ask, shaking his hand.
"Not your Gaffer any more Rickie, I cant believe were stood here doing this. Shall we get on with it then?"
I held out my team sheet for him and we exchanged, each glancing down at the opposites team. Brendan gave a tiny nod and then shook my hand again.
"Good luck for the match Rickie, see you out there"
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Llorente and Benteke were certainly going to be a handful, and Firminio is a player I know almost nothing about. We are going to have to work **** hard for a result from this one.
All of a sudden it was time.. I clapped each of my players on the back as they walked out of the tunnel, getting the odd smile or wink back. They were confident, but was it well placed? I took a deep breath and turned and walked out of the tunnel and into the thunderous arena that is Anfield.
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I could vaguely hear my name being chanted from somewhere behind me and clapped my hands in recognition but the truth was I was too nervous to enjoy this moment, I walked over and shook hands with Brendan again before taking my seat in the technical area.
The Whistle blew, the crowd roared, the game began.
8 Mins - Van Dijk pushed far too up the pitch and Firminio slotted a perfect through ball for Llorente, who curled into the top corner.
1-0 to Liverpool. work to do.
39 Mins - Sadio Mane tries to hassle Sakho for possession and ends up nudging him over. The referee shows him his 2nd yellow card and he's off! I stood, my arms folded, glaring at him as he storms past without a word and down the tunnel. I whistled and caught Tadic's attention, beckoning him to push wide and take Mane's place on the left.
41 Mins - Fine work from Tadic on the left opens up space for Wanyama. Tadic squares across to him and he spanks a shot from 35 yards which crashes against the cross bar and away. I was on my feet already for that one.. how did that not hit the back of the net.
The whistle blows for half time and I lead the team back into the dressing room, closing the door behind me.
ten minutes later the team are sent back out onto the pitch to wait for 2nd half kick off.
54 Mins - Ryan Bertrand has the ball out on the left flank, half way into the Liverpool half. He looks up for an option and see's Charlie Austin all alone in the box. Bertrand floats an inch perfect cross into the box and Charlie leaps like a salmon. Im up out of my seat, watching, forgetting to breathe.
GOAL!!!!! 1-1. Austin wheels away his arm in the air as his header plants into the top corner past the hapless Mignolet.. game on.
62 Mins - Double substitution for Southampton, Jay Rodriguez coming on for James Ward-Prowse, and Niklas Stark coming on to make his debut in place of Steven Davis. I shake each of their hands as they come off and thank them for their efforts.
80 Mins - James Milner has the ball, 30 yards out.. he hits it! it crashes off the bar! Relief! then that feeling of despair. The ball rebounded off the bar, hit the back of the diving Stekelenburg and rolled over the line.
2-1 Liverpool. Its being labelled as a Stekelenburg own goal.
93 Mins - The referee blows the full time whistle and I rise to my feet, walking to the edge of the pitch and clapping my players off. Brendan walks over and we shake hands. It was a defeat.. but a valiant defeat.
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