Uefa Champions League/ Liverpool 3 Bordeaux 0: Rafael Benitez choked last night as if he were a batsmen stumbling in the nervous nineties and, not for the first time, he was proved right to do so. After 99 matches, the Spaniard named an unchanged side here and, having proved his point, Liverpool duly breezed to all three. With Bordeaux swept aside, Liverpool secured their passage into the knock-out phase.
It clearly pays to retain a winning line-up, even if this victory was only smoothed once Brazilian midfielder Fernando Menegazzo had head-butted John Arne Riise, drawing blood, to leave his side depleted in numbers as well as quality.
The ease of Liverpool's progress was summed up when Luis Garcia, after a dreadful error by David Jemmali, swept in his second goal, and Liverpool's third, as Bordeaux sank without trace.
Benitez left with a wave of appreciation to the Kop, no doubt rubbing his hands at the chance to tinker again with qualification guaranteed. The manager had said after Saturday's fine success over Aston Villa that some switches were "inevitable" here.
Not since February 2005 and a sauntering home win over Fulham had Benitez not made a change, though the manager's decision here must have been encouraged by Saturday's rip-roaring first-half display to offer this opportunity for consistency.
Bordeaux arrived with a pathetic record in this year's competition, without a goal in their first three matches, and with third place and qualification for the Uefa Cup apparently their primary motivation. If there was vague ambition to Ricardo Gomes's line-up, with a pair of strikers fed by the former France international Johan Micoud, then that was jettisoned early.
Marouane Chamakh hobbled off before the quarter-hour, thrusting Bordeaux back into their shells, with his replacement, Edixon Perea, reinforcing midfield and leaving the former Nottingham Forest forward Jean-Claude Darcheville as a token runner up front.
The congestion that gripped the middle third thereafter rather suffocated creation, with Liverpool occasionally becoming lost amid the clutter until Steven Gerrard prised open the French.
The contest was meandering in the muddle when Gerrard received possession from Dirk Kuyt on the corner of the area to loop a cross over those in the six-yard box, drawn by Peter Crouch's presence, for Luis Garcia to volley back across Ulrich Rame at the far post.
Garcia might have extended the lead, just failing to reach Riise's fine centre, and Kuyt leapt high to nod another Gerrard cross on to the roof of the net as half-time approached, but Liverpool's dominance appeared to have been established.
Bordeaux were powder-puff light up front, labouring to offer Darcheville even token support.
Yet the hosts' slender advantage was cause for concern. Florian Marange's swerving shot from 30 yards saw Jose Reina spring to touch over. The Spaniard reacted just as smartly moments later to deny Darcheville after Julien Flaubert sent him gliding through on goal.
Jamie Carragher twice stifled Micoud's attempts from just inside the area as the French pressed. The centre-half cut an exasperated figure, berating the sloppiness emerging around him.
Liverpool needed the reassurance of a second goal and they were helped by Bordeaux self-destructing. A challenge by Sissoko prompted a melee from which the French never regained their composure. Menegazzo was enraged by Riise's willingness to take a quick throw-in and headbutted the Norwegian.
The red card that followed was inevitable, Menegazzo departing with a scowl. Gerrard swiftly burst on to a slide-rule pass from Boudewijn Zenden to steer a low shot beyond the sprawling Rame and Liverpool breathed again.
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso (Zenden 57), Sissoko, Luis Garcia (Fowler 78), Kuyt, Crouch (Pennant 72). Subs not used: Dudek, Agger, Aurelio, Warnock. Booked: Sissoko.
BORDEAUX: Rame, Faubert, Jemmali, Cid, Marange, Menegazzo, Ducasse, Micoud (Mavuba 74), Wendell, Chamakh (Perea 11), Darcheville (Obertan 59). Subs not used: Valverde, Henrique, Alonso, Francia.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).
