SOCCER/Liverpool - 1 Portsmouth - 1: Sometimes even Steven Gerrard cannot bail Liverpool out of ignominy. Just when it seemed the captain had revived his floundering side last night, Lomana LuaLua nodded Portsmouth's equaliser two minutes into stoppage time to leave the Merseysiders steeped back in mediocrity.
For so long Gerrard's intervention was critical, so scrappy had this game become with Liverpool threatening to pass up their long-held game in hand and fall further behind the top quartet. Then, amidst the mediocrity, Dietmar Hamann touched a free-kick towards his captain 25 yards out and Gerrard pummelled his shot into the top corner.
The red part of Liverpool have not had to deal with the fallout from a derby defeat for five years, their unfamiliarity with such trauma contributing to the distracted atmosphere which greeted this fixture. It was the timing of Saturday's loss to Everton, puncturing all the optimism generated by last week's timely Champions League exploits, which deflated most of all. An early exorcism of frustration was required, but it was not forthcoming.
For all that a quintet of changes should have helped shrug off the nightmarish memories from the weekend's defeat, the tempo rarely raised itself above the sluggish in the opening exchanges. With little enthusiasm out on the pitch, it was no wonder that those off it could raise little more than an exasperated murmur.
Xabi Alonso's return to the starting line-up provided plenty of rat-a-tat neat passing from central midfield, Gerrard benefiting from the supply line early on only for Jamie Ashdown to smother his cross-shot. When the England midfielder's subsequent corner was flicked on by Antonio Nunez, the panicked Hamann could only spear his shot awkwardly wide of an open goal.
Sloppiness soon set in to befit the humdrum atmosphere, every vaguely admirable Liverpool move culminating in an inexplicable error. When Nunez crunched into Amdy Faye to claim possession eight minutes from the interval and found Harry Kewell, the Australian expertly slid the ball out of play for a goal kick with Milan Baros bemused at his side. Such was Liverpool's fragile state of mind.
Portsmouth should have capitalised. LuaLua's curled attempt flicked from a defender and wide of the far post and the former Newcastle striker repeated the trick when Liverpool's nerves were jangling just before the interval, with the recalled Jerzy Dudek's comical save from a horribly scuffed attempt merely adding to the mild sense of farce.
The visitors, still steered by Valimir Zajec and Joe Jordan, did enough in that frantic period before the interval to suggest this visit might prompt their first success here since 1951. Gary O'Neil curled a fine attempt towards the far corner but Dudek turned with relief to see the ball disappear on to the Kop.
Gerrard's sublime turn away from Faye and clip over the bar suggested as much, with the captain dictating a more upbeat tone. There were incisive passes inside the full backs, Gerrard forever driving on from the centre. The captain's nodded pass found Nunez in space only for Ashdown to save the Spaniard's shot with his legs. Quite how Hamann failed to bury a point-blank header from Djimi Traore's centre moments later, the goalkeeper pawing to safety, remains a mystery.
His blushes were spared by Gerrard's explosive intervention. It was hard not to sympathise with Ashdown, watching helpless as the England midfielder's shot seared beyond his dive, though Portsmouth had long since retreated into their shells. From behind, they rarely threatened until LuaLua prevented their first defeat since Harry Redknapp's departure two weeks ago.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Nunez (Josemi 89), Hamann, Gerrard, Alonso, Kewell, Baros (Sinama Pongolle 82). Subs Not Used: Riise, Mellor, Harrison. Goal: Gerrard 70.
PORTSMOUTH: Ashdown, Griffin, De Zeeuw, Primus, Stefanovic, LuaLua, Faye (Berkovic 85), Stone, O'Neil, Berger, Fuller (Taylor 61). Subs Not Used: Hislop, Mezague, Cisse. Goal: LuaLua 90.
Referee: M Clattenburg (Durham).
