Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City
Liverpool and Stoke played out a poor 0-0 draw as our poor record at Anfield continues.
The reds can take the most minor of solace in avoiding what would would have been a 4th straight defeat, and securing the first league clean sheet but it will be Stoke, with their physical tactics, who will have left Merseyside the happier side.
The game was marred by two incidents which went unpunished - a Robert Huth stamp on Luis Suarez' chest - and Suarez himself tumbling over in the penalty box - which won't help his cause for the number of penalties he has not been awarded in recent months.
Stewart Downing was dropped from the squad - likely due to some barbed comments aimed at Brendan Rodgers in the media - in total there were 8 changes from the side that lost against Udinese on Thursday evening.
Stoke picked up a total of 6 bookings in the game, and Robert Huth was lucky to still be on the pitch after a particularly nasty looking stamp on Luis Suarez early on in the game.
Liverpool attempted to stick to their passing game, but at times it was sloppy and more often than not it lacked quality in the final third. The reds did have more chances than Stoke - including both Sterling and Skrtel managing to find the post.
At the other end, two giveaways nearly embarrassed Liverpool. Nuri Sahin giving the ball away to former red Charlie Adam who forced a good save out of Reina, and the reds keeper himself gave the ball away to Stoke - Kightly sending in the chip which Reina managed to tip over.
Liverpool have a miserable looking 6 points from 7 games. An international break now gives the reds a fortnight off before the next fixture - Liverpool would be wise to spend at least some of that time looking for an out of contract striker with a couple of goals still in him.
