Result: Liverpool 0-0 Birmingham

	Liverpool 0 - 0 Birmingham
0		0

The voices of Birmingham's delighted fans boomed around Anfield at the end of this bitterly frustrating goalless draw for Liverpool.

They may be still unbeaten and boss Rafael Benitez was able to utilise £40million plus of striking talent, but nobody had the ability to prise open the massed blue ranks.

Birmingham unashamedly strung 10 men across their own penalty area at times and fought like lions for a point.

The Midlanders were clearly not going to be letting themselves suffer a six-goal thrashing like Derby did recently, and set out to suffocate the life from Liverpool's game. Steve Bruce's side more than achieved their aim - and fully deserved the point.

Liam Ridgewell and Johan Djourou were outstanding at the back and Benitez has still to register a league win over Bruce's men after five attempts.

Benitez restricted himself to just two changes - he has been averaging five a match so far this term - from the team which drew their Champions League game in Porto in midweek.

Fit-again John Arne Riise returned in defence with Andriy Voronin coming in up front as Liverpool attempted to maintain their unbeaten record this term.

Birmingham arrived with a suffocating gameplan, and set about frustrating Liverpool from the start.

Liverpool might have put six goals past Derby last time out in the league at Anfield, but Birmingham looked a totally different proposition. They strung five across a deep midfield and worked to deny Liverpool space to run into.

Ryan Babel combined to play Riise in on the left, and his fierce low cross was too far ahead of Voronin.

Babel then cut in from the left and found Dirk Kuyt - but the striker was forced into a hurried shot wide.

Birmingham's system, though, was disrupted on 16 minutes by what looked a bad injury to Borja Oubina on his full debut for the Midlanders - the loanee from Celta Vigo was carried off and replaced by Gary McSheffrey.

Mehdi Nafti moved into the midfield holding role and immediately there was space for Riise to fire a dipping 20-yard effort just over.

Birmingham were regimented and organised, and were forcing Liverpool to make all the decisions.

Chances were rare, with Kuyt heading wide from a Steven Gerrard cross in the 26th minute.

Jermaine Pennant, against his old club, was switched from right to left wing - and Babel moved in the opposite direction, but openings, space and time on the ball remained at a premium.

Birmingham at times had 10 players in their final third - with Cameron Jerome the exception - but Bruce's men were sticking to their plan diligently.

Pennant produced a 25-yard effort which was turned over the bar by Maik Taylor, before Jose Reina made his only contribution to the first half when Wilson Palacios shot from 25 yards.

Liverpool continued to toil after the break and Jamie Carragher saw an 18-yard effort deflected just over.

From Pennant's corner, Gerrard stabbed in a near-post effort which Nafti cleared off the line.

Voronin was next to go close, stumbling as he picked up a through ball, but he was still able to fire in a low shot that Taylor saved well to his left.

Liverpool sent on Fernando Torres for Babel on the hour, before Olivier Kapo forced Reina into a save with a shot from 30 yards.

Liam Ridgewell was then booked in the 62nd minute for obstructing Reina as he tried to kick clear.

Birmingham increasingly fancied their chances and five minutes later they sent on an extra striker in Garry O'Connor for Palacios.

Peter Crouch finally got on after 74 minutes to add some aerial threat, replacing Voronin - and two minutes later Torres produced an overhead kick which flashed inches over from Pennant's corner.

Birmingham were looking now to punish Liverpool on the break and McSheffrey almost achieved that with an 18-yard effort which went just over.

Rafael Schmitz replaced Jerome in the 79th minute, as Liverpool's players began to getting in the way of each other in their desperation for a goal.

Torres' backheel was meant for Gerrard's run - but Crouch collided with his more-than-annoyed captain six yards out.

Steve Finnan replaced the injured Pennant with three minutes left, the winger looking to have picked up a hamstring problem.

Gerrard's corner soon after found Crouch rising unchallenged, but he could only bounce his header into the Kop, summing up Liverpool's day.

Source: Soccernet.com