Was a Liverpool game fixed?

Yesterday I reported on a 96 page dossier handed over to Europol for investigation for match-fixing. Could the Liverpool record breaking Champions League win over Besiktas have been fixed? It has reportedly been on the list of suspected matches within the dossier, one of a total of 26 matched mentioned, 15 being closely scrutinized.

Liverpool blasted the Turkish club 8-0 at Anfield last month, the largest margin of victory ever.

An article in Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung reveals an influx of bets on the winning margin just before the kick-off at Anfield. There is no suggestion that the Premier League team was involved, the implication being that Besiktas players threw the match.

Liverpool have not admitted any contact by UEFA regarding the match but this adds to a long list of suspicious bets placed in Europe.

What a result

What a result for Liverpool. A record-breaking 8-0 win against Besiktas at Anfield finally resembled the 6-0 thrashing of Derby earlier this season.

Now let’s just hope that the rotation policy won’t disrupt the form and flow of the side that played against Besiktas. You can bet a result like this will silently challenge Rafa Benitez to leave things be.

The play was brilliant, as good as Arsenal was a few weeks ago against Slavia Prague in which they demolished them 7-0. Benitez called it “almost perfect”, almost because the other team had one chance.

But this result will be meaningless unless Liverpool beat FC Porto and Marseille next month. Liverpool have scored only one point in its first three group games and sit third in Group A with 4 points. Marseille sit on seven and Porto, eight.

It was Liverpool’s biggest win in the European Cup in 27 years and could be the spark the team needs to get their challenge in the Premiership back on track.