Liverpool lost ground on the top four as their leaky
defence and a failure to capitalise on numerous opportunities
cost them victory at Anfield.
Kenny Dalglish's side hit the woodwork three times
among several other chances but had only Craig Bellamy's
late first-half goal against his former club to show
for their efforts. A side that has kept only two clean
sheets all season should have known what was coming
as a result.
They were punished on the hour when Grant Holt headed
home just three minutes after coming off the bench to
spoil what would have been the perfect story for Bellamy
on his first Liverpool start since May 2007.
The Wales international left Carrow Road 11 years ago
and on his travels around various clubs in the Premier
League spent one season at Anfield.
He admits he returned this summer with unfinished business
and appeared to have resumed his mission in ideal fashion
with his first league goal of his second spell.
However, what he could not count on was a defence which
has so far only kept clean sheets against Arsenal and
Everton, both of whom had been reduced to 10 men, and
neither of which has been at Anfield.
Norwich were undoubtedly encouraged by this statistic
and looked much more of a threat once they had drawn
level.
The omens were good for Liverpool before kick-off as
they had won their previous four meetings against the
Canaries, although the last of those was in January
2005.
Had it not been for the woodwork the Reds would have
enjoyed a much more comfortable evening as twice within
the opening 12 minutes they came within inches of scoring.
With less than two minutes gone Martin Skrtel's glancing
header from Charlie Adam's right-wing corner crashed
against the crossbar.
Luis Suarez's first sight of goal saw him uncharacteristically
miss the target from the left side of the penalty area
with an ambitious shot with the outside of his right
foot.
But the Uruguay international's next effort required
the combined efforts of John Ruddy and the frame of
his goal to prevent him breaking the deadlock.
The Canaries goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to
get his fingertips to the shot and deflect the ball
onto his left-hand post.
Norwich briefly threatened when Wes Hoolahan's shot
and Steve Morison's header were both fumbled by Jose
Reina, although in between that Suarez had fired across
goal in front of the Kop.
Apart from that brief spell Norwich, who had won three
of their last four matches, had to play second fiddle
to a Liverpool side who dominated but came up just short
in the final third.
But just when it seemed the hosts had failed to take
advantage Bellamy struck in first-half added time.
Suarez's nuisance factor in the Norwich defence saw
him tussle with Russell Martin, allowing the ball drop
to Bellamy on the edge of the area and his low shot
took a deflection off Tierney on its way past Ruddy.
The woodwork denied Liverpool for a third time in the
51st minute when Suarez's run left Leon Barnett baffled
but the Uruguay international's shot deflected off Martin
and onto the post.
However, within three minutes of Holt coming off the
bench he had punished the Reds for failing to take their
chances.
The striker powered home a 60th-minute header after
Reina came for - and missed - Anthony Pilkington's cross
with Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson in close attendance.
Holt almost doubled his tally six minutes later but
this time Reina dealt with his far-post header and,
as the game opened up, Ruddy was relieved to see Suarez's
toe-poke roll behind after squirming through his fingers.
Suarez's 78th-minute shot was turned past the far post
by Ruddy with Gerrard lurking outside the six-yard box
as the hosts tried to make up for missed opportunities.
Substitute Andy Carroll's header in the fourth minute
of added time summed up Liverpool's match as he powered
wide from six yards.
As if to rub salt into the wounds Ruddy produced a
brilliant save to tip over Suarez's volley even later.
But like against Sunderland on the opening day of the
season and - to a lesser extent - Manchester United
last weekend a failure to take their chances cost them
the win.
Such dropped points could dearly cost Liverpool's bid
to regain Champions League status.
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