Portsmouth 1 Liverpool 0A season that began with so much hope for Liverpool continues to unravel. The FA Cup yesterday joined the list of trophies beyond their reach and it is not just this result which will heighten the debate about whether Gerard Houllier should start next season at Anfield.

This was hardly a display which suggested his team are moving in the right direction. "I know I'm going to get slaughtered," the manager said frankly.

"I do think it's unfair to slaughter us," Houllier said. "Looking at the results over the two games we aren't happy. But look at the performance: we had the chances.

"When you can't score you should keep a clean sheet. I don't think we should have lost the game. We have to blame ourselves. I can't say my players were at fault apart from the finishing." Of the pressure, he said: "This goes with being a big club."

Houllier was surely alone in viewing this as an acceptable Liverpool performance. The visitors lacked imagination, fire and conviction. Though they had more possession, it was hard to feel sorry for them. Portsmouth were lacking several key men and deserve their home tie against Arsenal.

Even when Liverpool got an undeserved penalty from which they could have taken the lead just after the hour, they blew their chance. Michael Owen's kick was weak and Shaka Hislop saved. It summed up the visitors' afternoon. They were laboured and, on the few occasions when they threatened, Portsmouth's goalkeeper denied them.

The fans here showed no audible dissent towards Houllier but performances like this offer little reason to believe Liverpool will finish fourth and earn a Champions League place. There was rarely a flow or consistent threat to their game. Houllier was right to say his team had chances but Portsmouth twice might have extended their lead on the break after Richard Hughes had scored at the end of a good move in the 71st minute. Liverpool had only themselves to blame for the goal, Sami Hyypia being robbed by Eyal Berkovic to set Pompey on their way.

Portsmouth beat Liverpool here in the league but this success was all the more impressive because they were without a number of first-choice players though injury and suspension. They had rarely looked like scoring before Hughes' goal but set out to make life hard.

Harry Redknapp used Yakubu Ayegbeni as a sole striker, pulled men behind the ball and defended deep enough to prevent Owen having space to sprint into. Liverpool could not offer the answers. Neither do they have legitimate excuses. Their only notable absentee was Harry Kewell.

The other players Houllier has bought to offer creativity were not up to the mark. Bruno Cheyrou offered next to nothing, first in a role off the front and then out wide. Emile Heskey did so little that it was no surprise to see him go off at the interval. Anthony Le Tallec was another peripheral figure and was substituted before the hour.

Owen, too, scarely featured.