Steven Gerrard almost single-handedly broke the defiance of a battling Manchester City in Liverpool's narrow 1-0 Anfield victory today.
The men from Eastlands gave Liverpool plenty of trouble during a close, competitive Barclays Premiership match.
But it was Gerrard, with a blistering long-range drive, who produced the breakthrough and extended the Reds' unbeaten home league record to 23 matches.
City hardly looked like a side who have lost 16 of their last 19 away league games and are still without a victory on their Premiership travels this term.
If it had not been for Gerrard's driving inspiration from midfield - despite Joey Barton's desire to take him on at every turn - City may well have got something from the match.
City defended with organisation and resilience and restricted Liverpool to only a few genuine chances.
Peter Crouch wasted one opening after taking too much time and too many touches before lifting a shot over Nicky Weaver's bar, having been set up by Dirk Kuyt.
Then Bolo Zenden saw a 20-yarder drift wide, before Gerrard went much closer from a similar range.
City were neat and quick on the break and responded when Claudio Reyna sent a long ball for Hatem Trabelsi down the right - but as he reached the area, he rushed his effort and put the ball into the Kop.
The visitors went closer when Barton put Richards in on the right, his pass inside finding Bernardo Corradi who shot wide across goal after a clever drag-back gave him the space for a shot on the edge of the box.
Liverpool should have taken the lead when Hyypia's 60-yard cross-field pass dropped into the box for Luis Garcia, who did the hard part by producing perfect control from a difficult angle but then managed to hit the side-netting from six yards.
Benitez opted to replaced Luis Garcia with Pennant on 59 minutes.
The hosts reverted to a 4-4-2 system, with Jamie Carragher at left back, but almost immediately City wasted a good chance when Darius Vassell surged at the heart of Liverpool's defence. The ball was only partially cleared to Corradi, who fired a low drive just wide.
Liverpool then sent on Robbie Fowler for Crouch on 65 minutes.
But two minutes later Kuyt robbed Distin, and Gerrard surged on to the ball and blasted it past Weaver from 20 yards.
That goal was hard on City, so much effort having gone into their defensive defiance. But they now had to put more into attack, and Samaras was sent on after 74 minutes in place of Unuoha.
Barton was leading the fightback, taking on Gerrard and driving City forward. Samaras forced Jose Reina into a save at his near post, and Reyna brought the Spanish goalkeeper to his knees from 25 yards.
City sent on Stephen Ireland for Trabelsi on 85 minutes, Liverpool replacing Kuyt with Bellamy three minutes later - and the Anfield side managed to see out the final seconds.
