FULHAM 2 - 0 Manchester United [D Murphy 18', Z Gera 86'], EPL Gameweek 30

5 Sept 1964. That was the last time Fulham beat Man United in a league match at home. Today I witnessed history in the making as The Red Devils succumbed to their second consecutive loss. As a Liverpool fan you couldn't ask for a better way to start a warm and sunny London afternoon. But it did get better. News filtered in that Everton were losing to Portsmouth and Chelsea were trailing Spurs a few miles away. Surely not. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Liverpool were being presented with a golden opportunity to get back into the title race, even if United had a game in hand. The atmosphere at Craven Cottage was electrifying. Ronaldo was constantly jeered and at one point the whole ground started calling him a wanker. In the second half Rooney came off the bench and got himself booked. The crowd started giving him the Frank Lampard treatment by calling him a fat bastard. The crowd pressure paid off as the Liverpudlian's petulance gave way and he was soon given his marching orders. By that point Fulham had nicked a brilliant second-goal at our end and the crowd were delirious. I was in dream land. Danny Murphy, a former Liverpool legend and scorer of three winning goals against The Devils set the ball rolling for The Cottagers. It's been an incredible ten days. Four-nil against Real Madrid. Four goals at Old Trafford. A Fulham victory and two United players sent off. A Chelsea loss, an Everton loss, an SRT century and India's first Test victory in New Zealand for more than thirty years. You could almost say this has been the two greatest weeks of me life! COME ON YOU REDS!!!

Gaetano Donizetti's Il Paria Opera (1828)

Thanks to BBC Radio 3's excellent Composer of the Week programme, I have discovered this delightful opera composed by an Italian 180 years ago. The opera is set in India and depicts a tale of forbidden love between Idamore, the Pariah (or Outcast) and Nayala, the daughter of a Brahmin high priest of the temple. It is the earliest example of Western music dedicated to India that I have come across and therefore retains extra special significance. Unfortunately there is only one known recording of the opera and it is currently unavailable on Amazon. I'd love a vinyl copy...

Common Values

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is a massive (and knowledgeable) Liverpool FC supporter. :D :D :D

LIVERPOOL 5 - 0 A Villa [Kuyt 8', Riera 33', Gerrard 39' (pen) 50' 65' (pen) ], EPL Gamewk 30

When was the last time a team scored at least four goals in three consecutive matches against former European Cup champions?

Let's Sum Up The Last Two Weeks

PROs: Liverpool score 13 goals against Real Madrid, Manchester United and Aston Villa. Manchester United then lose to Fulham and 
      have a total of three players sent off in a week. Everton and Chelsea lose crucial games to Portsmouth and Spurs. Rafa 
      Benitez ends weeks of speculation by signing a new contract and the owners promise a summer transfer kitty of 30million 
      squid. SRT scores his 42nd Test century, his 3rd in 4 matches, as India cruise to a 10-wicket victory and their first in 
      New Zealand for over 30 years. London experiences sunny weather for a whole week without a break. And finally the icing 
      on the cake, my mum prebooks her ticket to London by three weeks.

CONs: I lose my wallet, camera and phone. Stress levels rise as final exams loom. Liverpool draw Chelsea and play @ Anfield 1st.

And While I'm On This LJ-Post Binge...

HE just goes on and on and on... twenty years and counting.

He's Cracking up, He's Cracking Up, He's Cracking Rafa's Cracking Up