Football: McManaman's breadth of vision

Ipswich Town. . . .1 Paz 65 Liverpool . . . . .3 Barnes 39, Fowler 56, 59 Attendance: 22,513 THE stealthy, healthy progress of Liverpool goes on. Sickly Ipswich struggled bravely yesterday, but never looked likely to interrupt a team flourishing on the broad-ranging skills of Steve McManaman, the finishing of Robbie Fowler and the accuracy of John Barnes.

The season is still young and promising for Liverpool, who, under the loyal, quiet control of Roy Evans, have begun to repair the damage done by the ostentatious Graeme Souness. They can get back into Europe and re-establish themselves as the club that sets standards. But first they have to win back that old consistency, the season-long reputation for making all of their opponents fear playing against them.

For Ipswich the season already seems too old. It is already an uphill battle against relegation. Liverpool would like to have free-wheeled this one, but Ipswich's urgent need for points initially sucked them into an absorbing struggle.

Ipswich gambled by omitting probably their most consistent player, Frank Yallop. Liverpool chose to retain Jamie Redknapp even though Jan Molby was fit again, and it was Redknapp, McManaman and Fowler who epitomised the rejuvenation of Liverpool. Evans is determined that the new spirit remains with the club and after the match announced that he expects Fowler to sign a new four-year contract this week.

McManaman, however, is at present Liverpool's most influential player.

Yesterday he roamed the width of the pitch, his acceleration a constant trial to the Ipswich defence. He could easily be forgiven for making little of an inviting chance after 18 minutes when he should have done better as a shot from Rob Jones rebounded straight at him off the foot of a post.

Creating chances for others was always McManaman's real art.

Gradually Liverpool's steady, considered building foretold danger for Ipswich, who had nevertheless contrived enough of their own chances to delay the inevitable. Ipswich had been back-tracking for 10 minutes when five minutes before half-time Ian Rush slipped a short pass to Barnes, who had briefly forsaken his predominantly deep midfield role and was hovering just outside the penalty area. His high shot cleared Craig Forrest and dipped under the crossbar.

With John Wark still injured and no real power at the head of their attack, Ipswich were obviously vulnerable to a team gathering confidence by the match. After 57 minutes, McManaman's pace left four Ipswich players mystified. He cut in and tucked the ball into the penalty area. Ian Rush's shot was well blocked by Forrest, but Fowler thrust in the rebound.

Then Stig Inge Bjornebye dissected the Ipswich defence with a superb long pass that put Fowler clear and provided him with Liverpool's unmissable third goal.

Given better, stronger support, Adrian Paz would prove a gem of an inside forward. Equally, he is no mean finisher. After 64 minutes he swept in on a cutting pass across the edge of the penalty area from Mick Stockwell and planted a fine shot inside the far post.

For all of Liverpool's attempts to remain placid under pressure, they have not yet regained an air of superiority defensively. Perhaps they will never find a player to replace Alan Hansen. For the moment they depend a great deal on the brute strength of Neil Ruddock, who yesterday blasted and headed the ball out of the goal area too often to start comparing this Liverpool with the ones of enduring memory.