Hyypia ends Liverpool career on winning note

Liverpool signed off the season on a winning note as Rafa Benitez’s side clinched runners-up spot in the Premier League on Sunday.

Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun found the net while Alan Hutton scored an own goal as Liverpool defeated Tottenham 3-1 to give veteran Finland defender Sami Hyypia a fitting send-off at Anfield.

Hyypia, who is joining German side Bayer Leverkusen in July, was given a rousing reception by the fans when he made an 83rd-minute appearance as a substitute before breaking down in tears after the final whistle.

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Keane marked his return with Tottenham’s goal but it was not enough to prevent Benitez’s side, who finish four points behind champions Manchester United, from signing off with a fifth successive win.

This is the third successive season Liverpool have finished without any major silverware.

But the crushing disappointment of missing out to bitter rivals Manchester United after leading the table for long spells has been cushioned by overwhelming evidence that their league form under Benitez is improving.

Not only did this result secure Liverpool’s highest finish since the 2001-02 campaign, their final tally of points is their best Premier League return.

They finished the season with nine wins in the last ten games and with an unbeaten home record, the first time they have achieved that for 21 years when Liverpool were in their pomp.

Not since United beat them by a single goal in December 2007 have Benitez’s side been defeated at Anfield in the league and Tottenham rarely looked like ending that run which now stretches to 30 games.

On a sun-kissed afternoon on Merseyside, Benitez’s side played much of the game as though they could not wait for the season to finish as they struggled to find the quality which had brought them wins in their previous four matches.

Yet Spurs lacked a cutting edge and once Torres headed his side into the lead there was only going to be one outcome.

Skipper Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun had already gone close when Torres peeled off his marker Vedran Corluka to nod Dirk Kuyt’s cross past Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes from the edge of the six-yard area.

Tottenham started the day knowing that their first league victory at Anfield for 16 years could earn them a place in next season’s Europa League.

But with Keane struggling to make an impact, Harry Redknapp’s side rarely troubled the hosts.

Benitez shelled out 20.3 million pounds to buy Ireland international Keane from Tottenham last July, but the 28-year-old lasted just 187 days at the club before being sold back to the London club for 12 million in February.

He did get the satisfaction of scoring against his old team but it proved nothing but a consolation after Dirk Kuyt’s shot from inside of the area deflected off right-back Alan Hutton to double Liverpool’s lead.

Tottenham were fortunate to escape a heavier defeat as Gerrard hit the post two minutes later before going close in the 74th minute before Benayoun wrapped up victory in the closing stages.

Yet the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for Hyypia on his 464th and final appearance.

Ten years after making his Liverpool debut, and with two FA Cup medals and a Champions League medal safely stored away, he was given a send off he will never forget.