14:53: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2002: Wanderers V LIVERPOOL

DEAN Holdsworth, scorer of the lucky late winner when Wanderers beat Liverpool 2-1 in this fixture a year ago, was handed his first start of the season after top scorer Michael Ricketts was ruled out through injury.

That was the only change to the side that won 1-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday - a result that looked even more damaging for Manchester United when they crashed by the same scoreline at Leeds in today's high noon Premiership showdown.

Sam Allardyce included two teenagers - striker Jonathan Walters and defender Danny Livesey - on a substitutes' bench which also featured internationals Ivan Campo and Jay Jay Okocha, who has been missing with a knee injury since being substituted at half-time in the opening day defeat at Fulham.

Liverpool, who let a 2-0 lead slip before being held to a 2-2 draw by Birmingham at Anfield in midweek, made four changes. Centre-back Stephane Henchoz was ruled out with a calf injury while Michael Owen, John Arne Riise and El-Hadji Diouf were all relegated to the subs' bench with Milan Baros, Emile Heskey, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou stepping into the starting line-up.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Barness, Bergsson, Whitlow, Charlton, Nolan, Frandsen, Gardner, Djorkaeff, Holdsworth, Pedersen. Subs: Okocha, Walters, Campo, Livesey, Poole.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Cheyrou, Traore, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Diao, Baros, Heskey. Subs: Diouf, Owen, Berger, Riise, Kirkland.

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

16:01: WANDERERS 0 LIVERPOOL 1

Half-time

CZECH wonder kid Milan Baros made up for earlier misses when he fired Liverpool ahead in the second minute of first half over-time.

The 20-year-old, who was drafted in as Gerard Houllier rested Michael Owen, worked the chance for himself when he jinked outside Simon Charlton before lashing a fierce right-footer past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Minutes earlier Baros had squandered the reds' best chance when he hit the post with only Jaaskelainen to beat then lost his composure, firing high and wide when a chance presented itslef as Wanderers failed to clear a corner.

Jaaskelainen saved well with his feet from Bruno Cheyrou at the height of Liverpool's dominance late in the half but Wanderers could have been in front by then.

Per Frandsen had a thundering drive saved by Chris Kirkland on 19 minutes and in the 37th Ricardo Gardner tees up Dean Holdsworth only to see the striker squander the chance with an 'air-shot'.

Gardner and Youri Djorkaeff threatened early on as Wanderers thrilled a packed Reebok by taking the game to Liverpool as they had done at Old Trafford in midweek.

An injury to Anthony Barness brought 17-year-old defender Danny Livesey into play for his senior debut as Liverpool on the half-hour began to impose themselves.

16:58: WANDERERS 2 LIVERPOOL 3

EMILE Heskey secured a dramatic victory for Liverpool with a late winner seconds after Ivan Campo appeared to have snatched a point for Wanderers at a packed, sun-drenched Reebok.

With 87 minutes on the clock Campo headed home Kevin Nolan's cross to put Wanderers level at 2-2 but seconds later Heskey pounced at the other end to deny Sam Allardyce's braves the draw they had worked so hard for.

Before the dramatic finale, Gerard Houllier's decision to play Milan Baros in place of Michael Owen appeared to have paid off handsomely as the Czech wonder-kid scored twice to put the Reds in charge.

The 20-year-old striker squandered a couple of chances before finally hitting the target in the second minute of first-half overtime then pounced again in the 72nd minute after Ricardo Gardner had put Wanderers back in with a shout with a 54th minute equaliser.

Wanderers started positively, taking the game to Liverpool as they had to Manchester United at Old Trafford in midweek but, after seeing a couple of first half chances go begging, they began to come under pressure from the Anfield men.

Gardner deserved his first goal of the season, which he converted confidently after being set up by a brave Dean Holdsworth header but found himself the villain of the piece six minutes from time when he was booked for 'diving' in the area.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Barness, Bergsson, Whitlow, Charlton, Nolan, Frandsen, Gardner, Djorkaeff, Holdsworth, Pedersen. Subs: Livesey for Barness (30 mins), Campo for Whitlow (h-t), Walters for Djorkaeff (75 mins). Not used: Okocha, Poole.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Diao, Traore; Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Heskey; Cheyrou, Baros. Subs: Riise for Cheyrou (84 mins). Not used: Diouf, Owen, Berger, Kirkland.

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

Attendance: 27,328.