Liverpool natives growing restless

Liverpool have still not managed a goal in open play this season and the natives are growing restless as the planned assault on the supremacy of Manchester United and Arsenal fails to get off the ground.

Beaten at home by Chelsea when a twice-taken Michael Owen penalty was their only consolation, they were kept in scoreless deadlock for the second time in four days as Tottenham comfortably answered what few questions the Merseysiders posed and threatened on occasions to snatch all three points.

Gerard Houllier, Liverpool's manager whose future is becoming a major topic of debate on Merseyside, announced his intentions by selecting five forwards in an all-out effort to appease his critics.

That, at least, was the theory. In practice Liverpool again struggled to find the right level of penetration. They had their chances, two of the better ones falling to Czech international Vladimir Smicer. He saw an early shot blocked and then directed another goal-bound effort against the prostrate frame of team-mate Milan Baros, while an Owen cross, which would have produced a simple headed finish for Harry Kewell, was intercepted by Dean Richards.

Kasey Keller's only first-half saves, however, were made with some comfort from Baros and Smicer, unlike those of Jerzy Dudek at the other end to thwart some lively counter-attacking play by Glenn Hoddle's men.

Dudek needed to get down swiftly to palm away a Rohan Ricketts shot after incisive approach play by Mauricio Taricco and the Polish goalkeeper was relieved to see Stephen Carr's follow-up attempt skim wide of the far post.

More Dudek agility thwarted Helder Postiga, Spurs' summer signing from Porto, although the goalkeeper would have been helpless if Anthony Gardner had been more accurate with a shot from the six-yard line from the ensuing corner.

Smicer, who enjoyed the probing left-sided role which many Anfield supporters expected to be occupied by Harry Kewell, began the second half as he had the first - a darting run ending with a shot which this time got through to test Keller - as Liverpool searched for a breakthrough.

They thought they had achieved it when an El Hadji Diouf corner was headed back across goal by Sami Hyypia for Owen to nod it over the line but referee Uriah Rennie had seen a push by the big Finnish defender on his opposite number Dean Richards.

More Liverpool near misses followed when Diouf flung himself at a curling Steven Gerrard cross to direct a header a few feet over and Smicer let fly from the edge of the area with a shot which curled wide of Keller's right-hand post.

Spurs were by no means content to settle for parity, though, and it needed a timely intervention by Hyypia to prevent Postiga from having a clear sight of Dudek's goal after Mauricio Tarrico had won possession from Diouf in a dangerous position just outside the penalty area.

Houllier's decision to withdraw the impressive Smicer for the steadying influence of Danny Murphy irritated the Kop but jeers swiftly subsided as Gerrard went closest to a goal.

The England midfielder burst through a couple of challengers and brought the best save of the night from Keller, who made a more straightforward catch from Gerrard's longer-range effort shortly afterwards.

Murphy also was quick to announce his presence with a rasping drive that went harmlessly over, while Baros was closer to the Spurs crossbar with an overhead from 10 yards out.

Match details

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher, Diouf, Gerrard, Kewell, Smicer (Murphy 72), Owen, Baros.
Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Diao, Riise, Le Tallec.
Booked: Diouf, Finnan.

Tottenham: Keller, Gardner, Richards, King, Carr, Davies, Redknapp, Ricketts, Taricco, Zamora (Kanoute 66), Postiga (Anderton 86).
Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Bunjevcevic, Marney.
Booked: Redknapp, Richards, Carr, King, Gardner.

Att: 43,778
Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).

Copyright - The Telegraph