lost 2-0 to Liverpool at VP

What would Rotherham think?

Next season: Rotherham fans driving back from VP cursing us on 606. "Bloody big clubs, they get everything."

Typical example as City look to equalise with a free kick in the six yard box after a back pass. Carbone drives it at goal, it is pushed away by Liverpool left back Jamie Carragher. Penalty? My arse penalty.

In some ways this was the best the game could have turned out. City can take the applause for performance, Liverpool were forced to stand back and admire our variety of passing at times while the Italian Carbone was simply the best player on the field, but Liverpool get them points to keep Leeds out of the top three and the Champions League.

Liverpool are in the mists of a marathon season in which every game is of importance. City's games have virtually no importance. The difference showed. City liberated, Liverpool tired and unimaginative. Two ploys; winning free kicks for Gary McAllister on the left, long ball over the top to the pace of Michael Owen. Both pulled in a goal each in the second half.

Around the Liverpool goals City were by far the better performers. Carbone teases every time showcasing his tricks. A flick up to the overhead kick deserved one goal, his low drive from a high power pass that beat Westerweld and the far post was sublime. Beni will play what will probably be his last game at Valley Parade on Saturday. Take a friend if you can, we may never see his like again.

Robbie Blake and Ashley Ward will most probably be around next term, no bad thing. Blake is showing signs of adding consistence and performance at the top level to his game while Ward gets better around the box all the time. Robert Molenaar did enough to suggest that if he could be signed up then the need to get another Darren Moore for division one may have been addressed. Gareth Whalley and Stuart McCall are reteaming in time for another assault on the Premiership.

But what of Rotherham? A running gag: there are four leagues in division one. Those going for promotion, the mid table, those trying to avoid going down and Rotherham. You have to feel sorry for them because they are the small fry, the little guys. If they strike the ball into a crowded box I doubt they will get a penalty either.

With is suppose is fair, from a certain point of view.