Hull City were back to their defensive best as they held Liverpool at bay to record an excellent 0-0 draw at Anfield this afternoon.
Making light of the injury problems that had left Steve Bruce without a handful of first-team regulars, the Tigers refused to be breached by last season's Premier League runners-up.
Although City could not maintain their record of scoring in every league game this season to threaten a first ever win at Anfield, their brave resistance earned another impressive point on the road. Mario Balotelli, Dejan Lovren and Philippe Coutinho all came close for the Reds but could not find a way past Eldin Jakupovic.
City's fifth draw of the season made it 11 points banked by Bruce's men and moved them back into the top half of the table ahead of hosting Southampton next weekend.
Seven days after a 2-2 draw at Arsenal had come at a cost, Bruce was forced into three changes. Steve Harper, Andy Robertson and Michael Dawson all missed out through injury, inviting Jakupovic, Robbie Brady and Alex Bruce in from the periphery for rare Premier League starts.
The pre-match build-up had been centred on Liverpool's struggling forward Balotelli but, retained in the starting XI, the Italian helped the home team enjoy the better of the opening stages.
Only Ahmed Elmohamady's goal-line clearance kept City level when Lovren rose to meet Steven Gerrard's left-wing corner, before Jakupovic was called into action for the first time soon after. Raheem Sterling slipped in the man-of-the-moment Balotelli but his right-foot shot was beaten wide at the near post by City's stand-in keeper.![gerrard]()
Jake Livermore and Steven Gerrard wrestle for the ball.
After that, however, Liverpool began to lose their way against their well-drilled guests. City's three centre-halves offered little room in behind and a hard-working midfield provided further cover. There were few signs of the potent attack that had previously scored in every Premier League game, but flashes of quality came from the inventive Hatem Ben Arfa and Mo Diame. City's best chance of the first half arrived in the 42nd minute. Ben Arfa's burst into the right channel allowed him to evade two would-be challengers and although he lost balance at the byline, he was still able to pick out a team-mate. Jake Livermore was the man in the space but his scuffed shot was straight at Simon Mignolet.![chester]()
James Chester challenges Mario Balotelli.
Tails were up for City and a bright end to the half followed. Diame fizzed a shot across the goal before an excellent counter almost brought the opener. Livermore and Abel Hernandez combined to tee up an Elmohamady cross, and after the ball was half-cleared, Huddlestone's half-volley from the edge of the box deflected just wide. There was little to split the sides as the second half continued in a similar pattern. Late challenges from Sterling and Balotelli, both earning bookings, showed a simmering frustration among the Liverpool side and Mignolet was called upon again to deal with a Hernandez shot from 20 yards out. Gerrard reminded City of his danger when shooting narrowly off target from the edge of the box before threatening again when seeing his shot deflected behind by Bruce. The home team then came their closest yet. Emre Can flicked on Phillipe Coutinho's corner with a goalbound shot, but Brady was brave to clear ahead of the lurking Balotelli. Sterling's drive wide completed City's escape.![emrecan]()
Emre Can swings and misses.
Liverpool were much improved after Rickie Lambert joined Balotelli up front, pushing the Tigers deeper. Bruce responded by pepping up his own attack, Sone Aluko and Gaston Ramirez replacing the fast-fading Hernandez and Ben Arfa. City were hanging on for a point but still found the adventure to threaten a victory. Aluko's shot was well-struck, yet straight at Mignolet. At the other end Gerrard's free-kick was touched on by the fingertips of Jakupovic and nodded wide by Coutinho, while Balotelli's tumble under pressure from Bruce failed to convince Neil Swarbrick to award a penalty in front of the Kop. The last meaningful act of the game was left to Jakupovic. His fingertip save over the bar kept out Coutinho, preserving the stand-in keeper's hard-earned clean-sheet.Liverpool: Simon Mignolet, Javier Manquillo, Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel, Alberto Moreno, Steven Gerrard, Joe Allen (Phillipe Coutinho 61), Emre Can (Jordan Henderson 75), Adam Lallana (Rickie Lambert 61), Raheem Sterling, Mario BalotelliSubs: Brad Jones, Glen Johnson, Kolo Toure, Lazar MarkovicHull City: Eldin Jakupovic, James Chester, Alex Bruce, Curtis Davies, Ahmed Elmohamady, Robbie Brady, Tom Huddlestone, Mohamed Diame (David Meyler 86), Jake Livermore, Hatem Ben Arfa (Sone Aluko 71), Abel Hernandez (Gaston Ramirez 71)Subs not used: Rory Watson, Liam Rosenior, Paul McShane, Stephen Quinn.Attendance: 44,591 (2,800 away).
Jake Livermore and Steven Gerrard wrestle for the ball.After that, however, Liverpool began to lose their way against their well-drilled guests. City's three centre-halves offered little room in behind and a hard-working midfield provided further cover. There were few signs of the potent attack that had previously scored in every Premier League game, but flashes of quality came from the inventive Hatem Ben Arfa and Mo Diame. City's best chance of the first half arrived in the 42nd minute. Ben Arfa's burst into the right channel allowed him to evade two would-be challengers and although he lost balance at the byline, he was still able to pick out a team-mate. Jake Livermore was the man in the space but his scuffed shot was straight at Simon Mignolet.
James Chester challenges Mario Balotelli.Tails were up for City and a bright end to the half followed. Diame fizzed a shot across the goal before an excellent counter almost brought the opener. Livermore and Abel Hernandez combined to tee up an Elmohamady cross, and after the ball was half-cleared, Huddlestone's half-volley from the edge of the box deflected just wide. There was little to split the sides as the second half continued in a similar pattern. Late challenges from Sterling and Balotelli, both earning bookings, showed a simmering frustration among the Liverpool side and Mignolet was called upon again to deal with a Hernandez shot from 20 yards out. Gerrard reminded City of his danger when shooting narrowly off target from the edge of the box before threatening again when seeing his shot deflected behind by Bruce. The home team then came their closest yet. Emre Can flicked on Phillipe Coutinho's corner with a goalbound shot, but Brady was brave to clear ahead of the lurking Balotelli. Sterling's drive wide completed City's escape.
Emre Can swings and misses.Liverpool were much improved after Rickie Lambert joined Balotelli up front, pushing the Tigers deeper. Bruce responded by pepping up his own attack, Sone Aluko and Gaston Ramirez replacing the fast-fading Hernandez and Ben Arfa. City were hanging on for a point but still found the adventure to threaten a victory. Aluko's shot was well-struck, yet straight at Mignolet. At the other end Gerrard's free-kick was touched on by the fingertips of Jakupovic and nodded wide by Coutinho, while Balotelli's tumble under pressure from Bruce failed to convince Neil Swarbrick to award a penalty in front of the Kop. The last meaningful act of the game was left to Jakupovic. His fingertip save over the bar kept out Coutinho, preserving the stand-in keeper's hard-earned clean-sheet.Liverpool: Simon Mignolet, Javier Manquillo, Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel, Alberto Moreno, Steven Gerrard, Joe Allen (Phillipe Coutinho 61), Emre Can (Jordan Henderson 75), Adam Lallana (Rickie Lambert 61), Raheem Sterling, Mario BalotelliSubs: Brad Jones, Glen Johnson, Kolo Toure, Lazar MarkovicHull City: Eldin Jakupovic, James Chester, Alex Bruce, Curtis Davies, Ahmed Elmohamady, Robbie Brady, Tom Huddlestone, Mohamed Diame (David Meyler 86), Jake Livermore, Hatem Ben Arfa (Sone Aluko 71), Abel Hernandez (Gaston Ramirez 71)Subs not used: Rory Watson, Liam Rosenior, Paul McShane, Stephen Quinn.Attendance: 44,591 (2,800 away).
