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Gerrard ruled out of Bordeaux tie Bordeaux 0-1 Liverpool
(1 day later)
Steven Gerrard will miss Liverpool's Champions League clash with Bordeaux on Wednesday with a hamstring problem. Liverpool moved a step closer to the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating Bordeaux in France.
Gerrard suffered the injury during the draw with Blackburn on Saturday and it has not responded to treatment. Peter Crouch scored the Reds' winner when he rose above the Bordeaux defence to head home Craig Bellamy's corner.
The Liverpool captain has not travelled to France but he could still be fit for Sunday's clash with Manchester United. Crouch had earlier been wasteful when he volleyed another Bellamy cross wide while unmarked and then scuffed his shot after Xabi Alonso sent him clear.
Mohamed Sissoko and Dirk Kuyt are named in the squad despite ankle injuries but Dan Agger (hand) and Robbie Fowler (back) are definitely ruled out. Other than that the Reds created little but held off a late Bordeaux surge for their first away win of the season.
Interview: Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher
The French side's forward line of ex-Sunderland striker Lilian Laslandes and former Nottingham Forest frontman Jean-Claude Darcheville did little of note during their time playing in England - and even less here.
But Bordeaux's deficiencies did little to mask Liverpool's own problems in front of goal early on.
Rafa Benitez's side had not scored in their last four away games in any competition before this match and their prevous Champions League goal on the road came almost a year ago.
606 VIEW We will be seeing a very different team on Sunday, I suspect SB 606: Have your say
With Steven Gerrard injured, Benitez had picked what appeared to be an attacking line-up with Bolo Zenden joining Alonso in midfield and Crouch partnering Bellamy up front.
But the Reds failed to spark early on apart from the lively looking Bellamy and it was down to Bordeaux to threaten through Johan Micoud's header.
Only before half time did Liverpool begin to wake from their slumber but Crouch failed to take either of the golden chances that came his way.
First he volleyed wide after Bellamy picked him out at the far post - then soon after he took the ball past Franck Jurieth from Alonso's pass but did not make proper contact with his shot.
Things did not improve after the break until Crouch's goal finally broke the deadlock, just as the striker was about to be replaced by Dirk Kuyt.
Crouch rose above the challenge of Joseph Enakarhire to send a powerful downward header into the centre of the net.
That should have brought a strong response from the home side but they have not won a Champions League game for seven years and their lack of class told.
The closing stages saw Bordeaux pour forward and camp in the Liverpool half but they were still unable to seriously threaten Jose Reina's goal.
Stephen Warnock should have made it safe for Liverpool late on but shot straight at Ulrich Rame - and his side did not need a second goal in any case.
The win leaves the Reds sitting comfortably at the top of Group C alongside PSV who also have seven points.


Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Riise, Hyypia, Garcia, Gonzalez, Aurelio, Alonso, Crouch, Pennant, Bellamy, Kuyt, Sissoko, Warnock, Zenden, Peltier, Dudek. Bordeaux: Rame, Jurietti, Henrique, Jemmali, Wendell, Alonso (Faubert 63), Mavuba, Menegazzo, Laslandes (Chamakh 63), Micoud, Darcheville (Perea 71). Subs Not Used: Valverde, Ducasse, Enakarhire, Marange.
BIG MATCH STATS Booked: Jurietti, Rame.
Definitions of terms used:- Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Zenden, Gonzalez (Sissoko 68), Crouch (Kuyt 65), Bellamy (Warnock 87). Subs Not Used: Dudek, Pennant, Paletta, Peltier.
Champions League (CL) - only group phase matches and beyond of this competition which began in 1992-93. Champions Cup/Champions League - all matches played since it began in 1955-56 including qualification matches.European matches - all matches played in the major European tournaments (Fairs Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Champions Cup, Champions League). Uefa Super Cups, Intertoto Cups and the old Intercontinental Cup competition are excluded. Booked: Zenden, Kuyt.
Head-to-heads Goals: Crouch 58.
Girondins Bordeaux and Liverpool have never met before. Att: 33,000
Bordeaux have played English sides on four previous occasions (home and away), without ever winning. Liverpool have visited France on seven previous occasions winning once and losing six times. Their sole win on came against Auxerre in the fourth round of the 2002-03 Uefa Cup (0-1). Ref: Tom Ovrebo (Norway).
European history
Bordeaux's best European result is reaching the final of the 1995-96 Uefa Cup, where they were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich. It is Bordeaux's second Champions League season. Their only previous CL participation was in 1999-2000 when they made it to the second group phase.
Liverpool have won the Champions Cup/Champions League five times with the most recent coming in 2004-05 when they won their first Champions League on penalties against AC Milan. This season is Liverpool's fifth in the Champions League and their 34th in European competition.
Current European form
Bordeaux have failed to win their last ten Champions League encounters (home or away). Their last CL victory came in October 1999 when they defeated Spartak Moscow 2-1 away. This is the longest CL non-winning streak by a French club. Bordeaux have also lost their last three CL home matches, and are yet to score in this year's competition.
Liverpool have failed to win their last three Champions League away matches. Their last away victory came one year ago on 19 October 2005 at Anderlecht (1-0). They have also failed to find the net in their last three CL away matches.
Player and disciplinary info
Stephane Dalmat is the most experienced player in the Bordeaux squad with 31 CL matches to his name. Johan Micoud is the most prolific CL goalscorer in their squad having netted eight goals. Current Bordeaux midfielder Vladimir Smicer played 19 CL matches for Liverpool between 1999 and 2005, scoring three goals.
Goalkeeper Jerzy Dukek (44) and Jamie Carragher (43) are the most experienced CL players in the current Liverpool squad. Luis Garcia has scored eight CL goals, more than any other player in the Reds' squad.
Other miscellaneous facts
Last year, in his first season at Bordeaux, coach Ricardo Gomes led the team to runners-up spot in the French League One. They currently lie fifth after defeating AS Monaco 1-0 on Saturday.
Liverpool, meanwhile, drew with Blackburn Rovers (1-1) at Anfield and are only 10th in the Premiership - trailing leaders Manchester United by eight points.
Big Match Stats source: Infostrada Sports