Liverpool succumbed to a storming Sheffield United revival as the visitors snatched their second win in five days and took their unbeaten run to seven matches.
Dave Bassett's team showed all their famed battling qualities as they recovered from the shock of conceding an early goal to record their first away win of the season.
Liverpool had the better of the first half and should have been more than one up at the break. But they were hit by a double strike from Norwegian international Jostein Flo, as United ran out deserved winners.
Liverpool took the lead in the third minute when Ian Rush cracked home his 18th goal of the season after Ronnie Whelan and Jamie Redknapp had combined to set up the chance.
John Barnes and Steve McManaman had chances to put Liverpool further ahead, but both were thwarted by goalkeeper Simon Tracey. The closest Sheffield came to a goal in the first half was through a 20-yard snap shot from Dane Whitehouse, which David James touched over the bar.
But a minute after the re-start Bassett was rewarded for his decision to keep faith in Adrian Littlejohn, who had played well in the previous match against West Ham, rather than recall Nathan Blake.
Golden Littlejohn's pace had Steve Nicol struggling on the left and, though James blocked Littlejohn's shot, the ball ran loose to Flo who fired home.
The Blades were a different team after the break and they went into the lead in the 72nd minute.
Franz Carr crossed from the left and Flo glided a header past James for his eighth goal of the season. A minute from time Carr had a golden opportunity to add a third, but shot straight at James.
"We showed Liverpool too much respect in the first half," said Bassett. "We allowed them to dictate the game too much and I told the players at half-time we had to show a little more personality."
Liverpool boss Roy Evans added: "We've had this happen to us two or three times this season. We have done everything right up to half-time then thrown everything out of the window. I feel like I'm the manager of two different teams. We lost all our principles, all our shape. It's always been a Liverpool trait that we play for 90 minutes. But at the moment we haven't got that."
With most of the relegation strugglers also winning, Sheffield remain in the bottom three but another remarkable escape act could be on the cards. "If we keep winning it means the other teams have got to win theirs," said Bassett. "That's all we can do."
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