On a night when Liverpool could have reached the top four, all they managed was a 0-0 draw with Portsmouth which took them ahead of local rivals Everton in the Premiership table.
Pompey's massed ranks survived a near-constant bombardment to claim a precious draw - a tremendous reward for a club who had not won at Anfield for 55 years.
Pompey unashamedly time-wasted and wore Liverpool down. Steven Gerrard tried to be the one-man hero, but not even his Captain Marvel act could rescue anything for Liverpool in this one.
Jamie Carragher got the nod as Steven Gerrard's emergency central midfield partner, a situation caused by injuries to Xabi Alonso, Mohamed Sissoko and now Bolo Zenden.
Such was Liverpool's depleted squad that youngster Danny Guthrie was named on the bench, having previously only played in the Carling Cup while Moroccan forward Nabil El Zhar was involved as a substitute for the first time.
Craig Bellamy was unavailable due to the late conclusion of his court case in Cardiff where he had been found not guilty on two assault charges earlier in the day.
Portsmouth included Matt Taylor, despite a back problem, while Benjani Mwaruwari was passed fit at the last minute with a knee injury.
Carragher took his new duties to heart by surging forward after just two minutes to lash a 20-yard shot just wide.
Sami Hyypia's long ball then gave Peter Crouch the opportunity to test David James from a similar distance.
Luis Garcia twice, John Arne Riise and then Hyypia - from 25 yards - all produced efforts that went close as Liverpool moved the ball at speed through the Pompey ranks.
But although Liverpool had a vast amount of the possession, they were not getting into dangerous positions through the middle where Sol Campbell and Linvoy Primus looked composed.
Liverpool's long-range barrage continued when Gerrard saw a dipping 25-yard free-kick just clear James' bar. Pompey got in just a first shot of the night - a 25-yard free-kick from Matt Taylor that flew well wide.
Gerrard did his best to break the deadlock with an angled 12-yard effort just wide before Luis Garcia sent in a flicked header into the side-netting.
But it was a frustrating half for Liverpool who never really got close enough to James to have a decent inspection of their former colleague's new haircut.
After the break, Gerrard continued to provide almost all of Liverpool's attacking threat, and an edge-of-the-box piledriver hit Campbell's elbow and deflected into James' arms. Penalty appeals were waved away by referee Alan Wiley.
Carragher was booked for tugging back Pedro Mendes before Jermaine Pennant sent Gerrard away on the right, his low cross causing trouble for James who was forced to make two saves in quick succession from Luis Garcia.
Pompey were getting more adventurous and Taylor saw a 25-yard shot crash into Riise on the edge of the box before Liverpool sent on Robbie Fowler on the hour for Crouch to try to add some variation.
Gerrard by now was attempting to be everywhere - providing the long balls from the back, breaking up attacks in midfield and trying to get into the box as well.
Pennant got himself booked after a series of altercations with referee Wiley before Pompey sent on Manuel Fernandes for the injured Mendes.
Liverpool then gave El Zhar his debut in place of Luis Garcia on 72 minutes.
With eight minutes left Pompey sent on Kanu for Benjani Mwaruwari, Guthrie making his Liverpool league debut in place of Pennant on 84 minutes.
Two minutes from time Gerrard hurled himself at a Dirk Kuyt cross in sheer desperation, the ball flashing into the side netting. Referee Wiley booked Noe Pamarot for time wasting and allowed five minutes added time.
In that spell Campbell had to go off with a split boot and, as Pompey staff searched for a replacement they were on the brink of sending on Andy O'Brien before a spare boot was found for Campbell. That bout of comedy just about summed up Liverpool's night.
