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Daily Mail, Wednesday, August 28, 2019ROBBIE FOWLER’S FOUR-MINUTE HAT-TRICK FOR LIVERPOOL...25 YEARS ON
Football
One mistake and
he’d punish you
TWENTY-FIVE years ago
today, me and my Arsenal
team-mates were caught up
in a storm at Anfield as Robbie
Fowler — just 19 at the time —
scored three times in four
minutes. It does not feel like
it was a quarter of a century
ago, let me tell you.
Watching back the footage of
that 3-0 defeat yesterday, you
had to admire Fowler. His
presence would cause panic.
He was an opportunist. We
were in England squads
together and I’m not sure I
worked with a more natural
finisher. Give him a sniff and
he’d score, and that is what
happened on August 28, 1994.
Looking back, this match may
have come too soon for me. I
remember I’d suffered a bad
calf injury in pre-season. In
our first Premier League
fixture of the season against
Manchester City, I came on
in the 89th minute. In our
second fixture, I came on in
the 62nd. Then in our third,
I’m starting against Liverpool.
Fowler took full advantage.
Sometimes, though, you
just have to applaud a
fantastic finisher doing what
he does best.
The first goal, I went for a wild
header against Ian Rush and
the ball ricocheted into the
feet of Fowler. He was in the
right place at the right time,and buried his shot beyond
David Seaman. Like I said,
one mistake, and he would
punish you.
The second goal, our defence
was backing off. Fowler knew
he had to get the ball through
Lee Dixon’s legs if he was to
score. He did just that, and
his shot went in off the post.
Pure precision.
The third goal came when a
coming together between me
and Seaman left neither of
us with the ball. It trickled
through to Fowler, who
completed his hat-trick.
What is it about left footers
and the way they finish? Look
at Lionel Messi and Mohamed
Salah. Fowler knew how to
open up his body and make
the goal seem enormous.
What a striker he was and a
good guy to boot.INSIGHT
MARTIN
KEOWN
WHO WAS ON THE
RECEIVING END!^LIVERPOOL 3
ARSENAL 0
August 28, 1994. Premier LeaguePOCH’S PUZZLE
No plan B as he can’t tempt Llorente back
T
OTTENHAM boss
Mauricio Pochettino
is concerned his
squad lacks an
attacking plan Bfollowing the departure of
Fernando Llorente.
Spurs’ difficulty in breaking down
Newcastle, in Sunday’s shock 1-0
defeat, and Aston Villa, despite
eventually winning the game 3-1
on the opening day of the season,
has raised concerns that they miss
a target man.
Pochettino often turned to
Llorente, who is 6ft 4in, during the
latter stages of games in an
attempt to change the complexion
of tight encounters. His crucial
goal in the Champions League
quarter-final win over Manchester
City was a case in point.
Llorente’s height and physical
presence meant Spurs could
utilise a more direct style if their
original plan proved unsuccessful.
But without Llorente, who left
the club when his contract expired
earlier this summer, Pochettino
does not have the option of going
more direct in games.
Sportsmail understands that
Pochettino was open to keeping the
former Spain international at the
club ahead of the new season and
Llorente was offered fresh terms.
But the 34-year-old rejected theextension, which was on reduced
terms from the £75,000-per-week
deal that expired last term.
Tottenham haven’t replaced
Llorente — who is still without aclub — and with Vincent Janssen’s
departure to Mexican club Monter-
rey, manager Pochettino appears
short of options behind first-
choice striker Harry Kane.
The Tottenham boss has not
named a recognised striker on the
bench in all three of the club’s
opening Premier League games,
though Heung-min Son, who
returned from suspension against
Newcastle on Sunday, has success-
fully filled in for Kane in the past.
Academy prospect Troy Parrott,
17, is highly rated at Tottenham,
but he is yet to make a senior
appearance for the club.
Pochettino’s options were at
least given a boost yesterday with
the return to first-team training of
midfielder Dele Alli.
The England star has missed the
opening weeks of the season with
a hamstring injury but could be in
contention to face Arsenal in
Sunday’s derby.
However, Pochettino is facing a
headache at right back for the trip
to the Emirates Stadium.
Kyle Walker-Peters is a major
doubt after suffering a hamstring
injury against Newcastle. That
leaves Serge Aurier as the club’s
only fit right back, but the 26-year-
old has been linked with a move to
AC Milan.THE MAYOR of Liverpool Joe
Anderson says he will oppose
moves by Liverpool Football club
to trademark the city’s name.
The European champions came
under criticism earlier this
summer as they revealed plans
to trademark the word
‘Liverpool’ in an effort to
protect the club’s merchandise
from counterfeiting.
Chief executive Peter Moore
stressed: ‘The club is NOT and
would never seek a monopoly
over the word “Liverpool’’
across the board. We are under
attack from large-scale
manufacturing. We must protect
the global revenues to reinvest
in players and infrastructure.’
However, Mayor Anderson, a
staunch Everton fan, last night
took to Twitter to announce: ‘I
have informed Liverpool FC that
I and Liverpool City Council will
oppose the attempt to trademark
the name Liverpool. I don’t
believe you can trademark a city
name. I value our relationship
with LFC and will work to help
remove counterfeit goods.’By SAMI MOKBEL
Mayor vows
to stop Reds
trademark
MATCH FACTS
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): James; Jones, Nicol,
Ruddock, Bjornebye; McManaman,
Molby (Thomas 57), Redknapp, Barnes;
Fowler, Rush.
Subs not used: Stensgaard, Matteo.
Scorers: Fowler 26, 29, 31.
Booked: None. Manager: Roy Evans.
Final 1994-95 league position: 4th.
ARSENAL (4-3-3): Seaman; Dixon, Keown
(Linighan 74), Adams, Winterburn;
Schwarz, Jensen, Merson (Davis 74);
Campbell, Smith, Wright.
Subs not used: Bartram.
Booked: Keown 26, Wright 33, Davis 87.
Manager: George Graham.
Referee: Alan Wilkie. Attendance: 30,017.
Final 1994-95 league position: 12th.All set: Dele
Alli trains
yesterday
ahead of
Sunday’s trip
to Arsenal
GETTY IMAGESDeadly: Fowler
hits his second
and (inset)
beats Keown
and Seaman
for the third PABy SIMON JONES