Hoddle angry at the one that got away

Liverpool 2 Southampton 1

Much as Steven Gerrard's spectacular 25-yeard strike drew gasps from the Kop, Liverpool's ability to descend from sublime to sub-standard was in evidence, as Southampton took them to the wire at Anfield.

After becoming the first side to win a Premiership match at Old Trafford in two years and following up with a 4-0 rout of Arsenal, Gerard Houllier's side had to rely on an 86th-minute header from Markus Babbel to scramble an undistinguished victory over opponents of distinctly modest means.

Southampton were a tribute to Glenn Hoddle's knack of extracting maximum benefit from minimal resources, hard-working and well-organised but nothing more.

Still they made would-be Champions League candidates Liverpool look laboured and ponderous in a way that defied logic in the wake of such supremely assured performances by Houllier's team against the country's top two.

Indeed, Liverpool's embarrassment could have been more acute but for referee Dermot Gallagher waving away a seemingly cast-iron case for a penalty in the 75th minute when, with the score 1-1, Stephane Henchoz appeared to handle a Marian Pahars free kick. Such an alarming fall from grace has happened too often this season and is a paradox Houllier puts down to the nature, as much as quality, of Liverpool's opponents.

While major powers such as United and Arsenal take the game to Liverpool and create an open contest more to their liking, lesser mortals throw a defensive blanket across Anfield aimed solely at stifling the attacking life out of them.

So the argument goes, anyway, though it does smack of an admission that Liverpool still lack the wit and invention needed to take on allcomers, a basic requirement for a side with title pretensions.

Houllier reiterated his theory about the pitfalls of being confronted by massed ranks of defenders by saying: 'It is very difficult when everyone is behind the ball, and it is a problem we have struggled to overcome in the past.'

Houllier will have to devise a way of dispatching inferior opponents with a dismissive swipe, as well as trading blows with the elite, if his dream of taking Liverpool back to the top is to be realised.

Excuses were scarcely in plentiful supply either, after the flying start Gerrard gave them.

The England midfielder, drawing comparisons with Graeme Souness but actually showing an even wider range of skills, took just 90 seconds to stamp his mark on proceedings.

Lurking with the sort of intent that proved so costly to Arsenal nine days ago, he seized on a half-clearance and unleashed a blistering half-volley that produced an instinctive save from Paul Jones.

There seemed to be nothing on for him in the 12th minute when an interchange between Gary McAllister and Vladimir Smicer appeared to be petering out. Gerrard had other ideas as he looked up in vain for any passing options and readily took on the responsibility with a thunderous drive that left Jones floundering as it crashed against the underside of the bar and bounced over the line.

All the familiar defensive failings that have haunted Houllier for much of the campaign revisited him in the 20 th minute as Southampton equalised.

A Pahars corner skimmed off the top of Sami Hyypia's head to the far post, where Trond Soltvedt swivelled and beat Sander Westerveld with a low shot.

All that was left of a disjointed first half was the opportunity to marvel at the extent of Gerrard's all-round game. Being likened to Souness is praise enough but there was even a glimpse of Bobby Charlton about the way he swept a crossfield pass, soon after, from one touchline to the other, landing it precisely on Smicer's instep.

It was majestic stuff yet, while they cheered to the rafters in the stands, it left Liverpool's players singularly unmoved.

They continued to search fruit-lessly for a spark, though Smicer, Emile Heskey and Robbie Fowler might all have banished the growing sense of unease long before Babbel belatedly succeeded.

They should have been made to rue such wayward finishing 15 minutes from time when Pahars swung in a free kick from the left and Henchoz appeared to handle.

Despite Southampton players imploring Gallagher to administer the expected justice and Hoddle racing to the touchline to add his own protest, the Banbury official waved play on.

It was a lifeline Liverpool finally grasped, with time fast running out, as Hyypia headed McAllister's corner towards goal and Babbel nipped in to deflect it past Jones.

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