Gray emerges from the shadows

Liverpool - 0 Birmingham - 1: "Julian who?" was the general reaction of underwhelmed Birmingham supporters when Julian Gray arrived from Crystal Palace on a free transfer in the summer.

After all the left-winger cum full-back was already 25 and, despite beginning his career at Highbury, had managed only 20 minutes in Arsenal's first team. Moreover he spent part of last season loaned to Cardiff and departed south London after a fall-out with Simon Jordan, Palace's owner.

Eight Premiership appearances on, those same fans are wondering when Sven-Goran Eriksson will offer Gray his first England cap. Here on Saturday, in an overlapping interpretation of his less favoured left-back position, Gray was outstanding.

He thoroughly showed up the rather less fervent performances of certain Liverpool players, most notably Harry Kewell. Liverpool's right flank, Josemi and Luis Garcia, were repeatedly over-powered and out-skilled by Gray's combination of trickery and relish for tackling.

"Julian can be anything he wants to be in football; he can play for England," said Birming ham manager Steve Bruce. "His athleticism and ability are terrific and I think Sven-Goran Eriksson has already had a look at him."

Appropriately Gray helped create Birmingham's winner, a characteristically rampaging left-wing raid winning the corner - taken short, crossed in by Robbie Savage and headed on by Matthew Upson - that led to Darren Anderton's close-range winner.

Comparisons with another, much more vaunted, left-sider on view were unavoidable. Kewell had a shocker in the unfamiliar role of striker and there were signs that the Anfield crowd are turning against a £50,000-a-week Australian who does not appear to be trying overly hard.

"We know and he knows," said Rafael Benitez afterwards, "that it is necessary for Harry to work hard to improve his level."

No such problems for Gray but then he harbours a bigger incentive to succeed. "Julian didn't quite break through at Arsenal and that disappointment has given him a great desire and hunger," said Bruce. "He'll do anything in his power to make the Premiership grade."

Anderton is similarly motivated, the player known as "Sicknote" saying: "I wasn't fit when I arrived but Steve Bruce has showed a lot of faith in me, Birmingham have done a lot of work on me and I'm much stronger now. Anybody could have scored that goal but it's nice to have the headlines again and, hopefully, I've repaid Steve's faith."

His strike, Birmingham's first Premiership goal in more than five hours, ended a run of 11 months without an away win, easing the anxiety of a manager who has spent almost £20m on new players in two seasons.

Some of those signings have let Bruce down but Saturday's XI brimmed with zeal, winning virtually every 50-50 ball. Much of this was attributable to the irrepressible Savage, who dominated a central-midfield zone where Dietmar Hamann looked guilty of playing within himself and the normally assured Xabi Alonso seemed overwhelmed.

""We're all very down," said Alonso afterwards. "But we can't let this destroy our confidence because it is so important to stay in touch with the top four. We can't afford many more slip-ups if we are to qualify for the Champions League again."

Indeed, having posted a £25.5m deficit for the financial year last Friday, Liverpool probably dare not even contemplate missing out on European riches.