Substitutue Holt secures a point at Anfield

Liverpool 1-1 Norwich City

Premier League         22^nd October 2011           KO: 17:30          Ground: Anfield        Att: 44,931

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Carragher, Skrtel, Bellamy (Henderson, 69), Adam, Gerrard, Downing (Carroll, 80) Kuyt (Agger, 90), Suarez.

Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Barnett, Tierney, Naughton, Johnson, Pilkington (Crofts, 90), Hoolahan, Fox, Bennett (Holt 57), Morison.

Substitute Grant Holt secures a point at Anfield for the Canneries as Liverpool drop points at home again.

Following the visit of the champions Manchester United last week Liverpool must have felt that this game provided the perfect opportunity to pick up three points in their quest for Champions League qualification. This sense of optimism was evident in the blistering start to the game by the home side who could’ve easily been three up inside the first ten minutes, first Skrtel headed Gerrard’s corner against the bar then the mercurial Suarez turned the Norwich defense only to fire wide before meeting Craig Bellamy’s cross forcing an excellent save from Ruddy who tipped it onto the post.

Norwich’s appeared stunned by the host’s fast start, offering far too much time on the ball whilst at the same time attempting to play the ball long up towards the isolated Steve Morrison. The game was twenty minutes old before Norwich finally began to press the ball higher up the pitch allowing them to win more possession and frustrate the home side by effectively utilizing the offside trap.

Just as the game looked to be heading towards a goalless first half Bellamy arrived in the box from the right to score against his former club, his shot taking a sizable deflection off the unfortunate Tierney to go past Ruddy into the bottom right hand corner. The goal coming after Norwich had looked relatively comfortable in defense despite Liverpool dictating much of the play.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first with Liverpool again dominating play as Norwich seemed to drop off with Luis Suarez again unlucky not to get on the score sheet after his shot was deflected off Martin on to the post. The failure to build a two goal cushion was punished after manager Paul Lambert’s inspired substitution saw Grant Holt come on and almost immediately leveled things up. The Norwich captain beating Reina to head in Pilkington’s cross after Enrique had allowed the former Huddersfield winger far too much time on the ball.

Holt could well have then given city the lead as he arrived unmarked at the back post but his header was straight at Pepe Reina who did well to get in the way. This scare seemed to rejuvenate Liverpool who at times during the second half looked short of ideas with Suarez the only man seemingly capable of threatening Ruddy’s goal. The introduction of Andy Carroll on for an off the pace Stuart Downing with ten minutes to play inevitably saw a more direct approach deployed and this nearly paid off when deep into stoppage time but the England forward somehow missed his header from six yards out.

The drama was not over though as with six minutes of stoppage time played Suarez connected with Gerrard’s cross only for Ruddy to pull off another super save somehow tipping the ball over the bar. The point for Norwich ensures their strong start to the campaign continues whilst Dalglish will be left to rue missed chances which come May could prove costly in the battle for fourth spot.