Liverpool Victory Sends Them Top

An outstanding first half display ensured Liverpool won 3-1 against Cardiff and moved to the top of the Premier League.

A brace from in-form Luis Suarez and a tap in from Raheem Sterling in the first half ensured that Liverpool had killed off the game in the first half, despite a second half consolation goal from Jordan Mutch..

Cardiff fans protest after the final whistle.

However, the game will largely be remembered for the fantastic support from both sets of fans for Cardiff manager Malky Mackay in his ongoing dispute with chairman Vincent Tan. Cardiff fans remained after the final whistle for a prolonged period of time to chant their disagreement with Tan's attempts to remove Mackay from his job.

Liverpool began the game strongly, Suarez hitting the side netting within two minutes. Down the other end of the pitch, Noone then forced a save from Mignolet fourteen minutes in. Suarez was again causing problems for the Cardiff defence, a deflected shot inching wide of the far post.

However Liverpool's dominance in possession paid off when Suarez volleyed home from a Henderson chip from the left flank. The captain celebrated signing a new four and a half year contract with his eighteenth premier league goal in just twelve appearances.

Suarez volleys Liverpool into the lead.

Cardiff's response was brief, a dangerous Whittingham free-kick well gathered by Mignolet before Liverpool regained control, Coutinho thundering a shot off the near post from an obscure angle. Moments later Skrtel put a free header over the bar as Liverpool ramped up the pressure.

Both Flanagan and Sterling had shots saved as Liverpool pushed to double their lead before half time, Flanagan in particular testing out the hawk-eye system. Their lead was double a few minutes before the interval, when Suarez selflessly squared it for Sterling to tap in from close range.

With Cardiff chairman Tan watching from the stands, Malky Mackay was under heavy pressure to perform and conceding a third would not have done him any favours. However Suarez was in a mood to party, bending in a third from outside the box after a lovely back-heal from Jordan Henderson. This goal meant that Suarez became the first ever player to score ten goals in one month in the Premier League.

Suarez has now scored 19 goals in 12 Premier League games.

Liverpool continued where they left off after the interval, bombarding the Cardiff goal as they sought to score more. Suarez, Coutinho and Henderson all came close before Cardiff began to come back into the game. After weathering the early storm, Cardiff struck back, Mutch grabbing a headed goal after a lovely Peter Whittingham dead ball delivery.

The goal gave Cardiff a second wind, and they continued to have the better of play, Mignolet forced to make a save on the line from Turner. Cardiff continued to press Liverpool back in their own half but a swift counter attack led to Suarez having to wait for his hat-trick after his shot re-bounded off the post.

Despite trailing by two goals Cardiff continued to press, the danger noted by Rogers' decision to bring on Agger for Coutinho to try and sure up the defence. This proved successful, with Liverpool shutting down the Cardiff attack and ending the game 3-1.

This win means Liverpool move to the top of the table for the first time since early October and will stay their until Monday at least when Arsenal take on Chelsea. Cardiff on the other hand remain in fifteenth just four points above the drop zone and with internal discrepancies this loss may see the end of Malky Mackay's reign.