Match Report: Chelsea 1 - 1 Liverpool

Luis Suarez dealt a huge double blow to Chelsea's Barclays Premier League title hopes on Sunday after inadvertently ending John Terry's comeback and snatching a deserved draw for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Terry looked set to enjoy a dream return to action after his domestic four-match racism ban when he powered the European champions ahead from a corner at Stamford Bridge.

But the Blues captain then collided accidentally with the man at the centre of football's other race scandal, forcing him off on a stretcher, with Suarez going on to equalize for Liverpool and almost steal victory.

The draw prevented Chelsea from climbing back into second place as they recorded their third league game without a win to lie three points behind Manchester United.

The home support may have turned up expecting another Stamford Bridge goal-fest, having witnessed 30 in the previous five games here.

But having shipped 14 goals in their last seven matches, Chelsea appeared to adopt a more conservative approach against a Liverpool side who recalled virtually all their available big guns but persevered with their experiment of playing three at the back.

They certainly had plenty of the ball early on, but the Blues' counter-attacking approach almost paid off in the sixth minute when Joe Allen lost possession to Oscar, who was threaded in by Eden Hazard only to lift the ball over the crossbar.

Liverpool, who had won on their previous three visits to Stamford Bridge, continued to probe but their defence went AWOL from Chelsea's first corner in the 20th minute.

Terry was allowed to dart untracked to the near post and duly powered home Juan Mata's delivery.

Another lightning Chelsea break from the lively Hazard saw Fernando Torres' shot parried by Brad Jones straight to the Belgian, who could not control his volley.

Nuri Sahin dragged wide at the other end before a nightmare moment for Terry and Chelsea 10 minutes before half-time.

Terry gifted the ball to Steven Gerrard and got back to make a tackle on Suarez, who fell on his right leg, leaving him in agony.

After several minutes of treatment on his knee, Terry was forced to concede his comeback was over and was carried off on a stretcher with his head in his hands, manager Roberto Di Matteo offering a consoling word before he disappeared down the tunnel.

Gary Cahill replaced Terry with the atmosphere inevitably flattening until the fourth minute of stoppage-time when Mata's superb run was marred by a rushed finish that was so out of character.

Liverpool had clearly been told to up the aggression at the break but they repeatedly took it too far.

Allen was rightly booked for bundling over Torres and the fit-again Glen Johnson followed for obstructing Oscar, whose free-kick saw Jones produce a brilliant reflex save from Torres' header.

In the chaos that followed, Gerrard hurt his left knee trying to prevent Torres reaching the rebound and Mikel produced an airshot from barely eight yards.

Liverpool hauled off Sahin for Suso as they abandoned their back three and briefly had Chelsea under pressure before Torres went close to prodding in Ryan Bertrand's cross.

Mikel - who must surely end his five-year goal drought so attacking has he become - nearly got on the end of a Mata free-kick after Gerrard was cautioned for tripping Oscar.

But Liverpool's substitution paid off 17 minutes from time when Suso's corner was flicked on by Jamie Carragher and Suarez nodded home from point-blank range.

Chelsea came straight back at them but the visitors were defending manfully and Di Matteo wasted little time throwing on Wednesday's matchwinner, Victor Moses, for Oscar.

Liverpool looked just as capable of snatching victory and Mikel was booked for the latest in a series of clumsy tackles before Torres was replaced by Daniel Sturridge.

Suso shanked wide when well-placed, Suarez tried his luck from the halfway line and Ivanovic powered over a header.

Suarez would have won it for Liverpool after racing clear onto Enrique's ball but for a vital challenge from Cech.

And after Hazard blasted narrowly wide, Cech came to Chelsea's rescue again in stoppage-time by keeping out Enrique's powerful near-post shot.

Carra Hails Battling Reds

Jamie Carragher felt Liverpool's determination earned them a deserved point after coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues took a first-half lead through John Terry's header, but the former England skipper was then stretchered off in obvious pain following an accidental collision with Luis Suarez.

Uruguay striker Suarez then equalized for the Reds in the 73rd minute, nodding home at the far post after Carragher had flicked on from a corner.

The veteran defender told Sky Sports: "I think in the first half Chelsea were on top but in the second we came out and great credit to the lads.

"We probably deserved a draw in the end, the way we battled in the second half."

It was Carragher's first start in the league this season and he said: "The Premier League is a step up (from the cups) with all its intensity and Chelsea is a difficult place to come.

"If I am picked I give everything; it is down to the manager, he is the boss."

When asked if not playing was frustrating, Carragher said: "Yes and no. I want to play but I understand. I am never going to cause a problem."

Reds team-mate Jose Enrique added: "Most important is the performance from the team. Suarez is an amazing player, a key player for us."

Jones: We're Ready For More

Brad Jones has praised Liverpool after they fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Jones, deputizing for the injured Pepe Reina in his seventh consecutive match, twice denied Fernando Torres to help Brendan Rodgers' men escape with a point.

And the 30-year-old hopes Sunday's performance will give the side, who are unbeaten in six league games, the confidence to pick up more wins as the season progresses.

"We're continuing to pick up points and we're producing some good performances," Jones told the club's official website.

"And that's fantastic. As long as we keep getting better and keep improving then that's the way we want to head.

"I think it was a good draw for us because Stamford Bridge is a really tough place to come. Chelsea are a good team and we have to look at that and take some positives.

"Some games you'd rather we got three points but on days like Sunday, we've got to take the point and be happy.

"We missed a few chances towards the end, where we could have even nicked it, but as long as we continue to get the points and perform well then we're heading in the right direction.

"Chelsea is dangerous. Their front four includes three brilliant players operating behind a quality striker so they are always going to create.

"But I think our formation and the way we set up tactically was very good and we left them with very few opportunities, so that's another positive."

Di Matteo Refutes Discontent Theory

Roberto Di Matteo bristled at suggestions Chelsea were in the midst of another winter of discontent, despite seeing them throw away victory yet again.

The European champions made it three Barclays Premier League games without a win as Liverpool came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

That saw Chelsea end the weekend three points adrift of Manchester United at the top of the table in third place, a fortnight after they were bidding to go seven clear at the top.

Blues boss Di Matteo did not take kindly to the 10-point swing being pointed out, saying: "United came here, we had two sent off and they scored an offside winner. That's a big advantage for the opposition.

"We're still playing well and creating chances. We need to be a bit more clinical, to take our chances and finish the game off."

The Italian maintained his side was too good to suffer another bout of the winter blues, which has cost them dearly in three of the last four seasons.

"We're in much better shape than in previous years, in a much better position, and very close to our best," he said.

"If we had won today, it would have been great for us.

"We're still in the mix. But the amount of games you play in this period has some kind of effect."

Chelsea wasted several chances to finish Liverpool off on Sunday and were almost made to pay the ultimate price when the visitors went close to completing their comeback.

"It was crucial to kill the game off," Di Matteo added.

"We had the chances to do that, but we missed opportunities, the goalkeeper made some great saves, and we didn't manage that second goal."

The loss of John Terry to a serious-looking injury did not help Chelsea, who conceded the equalizer from a corner.

Di Matteo suggested it should have been disallowed for a Suarez push on Ramires.

"It was a poor goal to concede," he said.

"We had our man marking the opposition and Ramires was with Suarez and he pushed him away to create that bit of space for himself to nod the ball in.

"Sometimes the refs notice, sometimes they don't. It's one of those."

Flexible Liverpool Make Their Point

Brendan Rodgers chose to play three at the back but it was only when he switched to 4-4-1-1 that his side came to life. Whereas previous Chelsea coaches have been tactically flexible, Roberto Di Matteo's strategy has remained constant in recent weeks.

It is the same for the majority of big matches: a 4-2-3-1 with Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata behind Fernando Torres. Therefore the key tactical decision rests with the opposition manager. Arsène Wenger had to choose between the pace of Gervinho or the height of Olivier Giroud, for example, and Sir Alex Ferguson picked a 4-4-1-1 rather than a diamond in midfield for last month's 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge recently.

Brendan Rodgers tried something entirely different: a back three, which he had used in the midweek defeat by Anzhi Makhachkala and more pertinently, considering the sizeable rotation for the trip to Russia, in the second half of the Merseyside derby a fortnight ago. Maybe the former Chelsea coach had also noted how his old side struggled against an opposition back three when Juventus snatched a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in September; Chelsea led through two Oscar goals from long range but their wide players were forced back by the Italian team's wing-backs and had little impact.

The same happened here. Rather than playing near Torres and pressing the Liverpool back three, Mata and Hazard dropped close to the midfield and allowed Daniel Agger and Andre Wisdom time on the ball. As a result Liverpool recorded the highest possession figure – 57% – for an away side at Stamford Bridge since February 2010, but the passing was slow, with little penetration. They stifled Chelsea's creativity but also harmed their own.

Rodgers is obsessed with possession but Liverpool had too much of it before the interval, allowing Chelsea time to get men behind the ball. The away side did not offer incision – even after Rodgers tilted his midfield trio midway through the first half, pushing Nuri Sahin higher up to join Steven Gerrard, rather than sitting alongside Joe Allen.

With three centre-backs able to defend the penalty box, Liverpool might have been better off playing on the counterattack – Ryan Bertrand and César Azpilicueta would have been free to attack but the prospect of Luis Suárez and Raheem Sterling roaming into the channels before sprinting in behind would have worried the centre-backs. Instead, with the Chelsea full-backs in place and the midfield providing protection, Liverpool completed twice as many passes as Chelsea in the first half but failed to test Petr Cech; the formation offered false dominance rather than outright superiority.

Rodgers made just one substitution. After an hour he introduced Suso in place of Sahin, told the Spaniard to play just behind Suárez and switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation. Glen Johnson moved to left-back, with José Enrique and Sterling on the flanks. Now Liverpool offered greater forward passing options, an extra threat in the penalty area and more width high up the pitch, stretching the Chelsea defence. As with Terry's opener, Liverpool's equalizer came from a set piece in a game featuring little creativity but it was a fair reflection of their increased ambition after the formation change.

Liverpool also had the finest chance at 1-1, when Cech became a sweeper to thwart Suárez outside the box. That type of move, with the Uruguayan breaking past the defensive line, was the type of situation Liverpool should have been striving for in the first half.

Liverpool Boss Calls For Further Investment In January

Brendan Rodgers has asked Liverpool’s owners to provide the funds the club needs to continue their rise up the Premier League.

Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – courtesy of an equalizer from Luis Suarez – may have given the club a boost, but it still sees them languishing 13th in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Manchester United. The former Swansea City manager has called for the club to provide the funds needed to bolster his squad, but has admitted shopping in the January transfer window comes with its limitations.

Speaking after the draw at Stamford Bridge, Rodgers said: “This was our sixth draw of the season, and we need one or two more players in the January transfer window to turn those draws into victories," ESPN report.

"But those players don't come cheap, and there won't be too many available in January.

"The owners have given me great support since I've been here but, if you're not going to have a massive investment to make it happen quickly - we have to develop it."

The Liverpool manager has previously underlined his intention to bring in another forward during the winter window. With Andy Carroll on a season-long loan at West Ham United and Fabio Borini ruled out until the new year, Luis Suarez has been the club’s only source of firepower, and the Northern Irishman has reiterated his desire to bring in cover to ease the burden on the Uruguayan.

"Luis just needs that support of instinctive goalscorers,” Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo. “If we can hopefully get one or two in January who can help us at the top end of the field we'll turn draws into wins."

Gerrard Knee Injury To Be Assessed

Steven Gerrard will have to pass a fitness test if he is to secure his 100th England cap this week after picking up a minor knee injury during Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

The England captain is poised to reach the milestone in the Three Lions' friendly against Sweden on Wednesday, but he has a minor medial ligament problem.

Gerrard picked up the injury midway through the second half and, despite carrying on until full-time, there is some concern over the midfielder's fitness.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is hopeful Gerrard will be okay, but is unlikely to be willing to allow his skipper to play in Wednesday's friendly if he is not 100 per cent fit.

"I think Steven will be alright," Rodgers told Liverpool's official website. "He has just opened up his medial ligament a bit. He has got some ice on his knee and we'll find out the full extent later on."

England boss Roy Hodgson's plans for the friendly have been hit by a string of withdrawals, Gerrard's team-mate Jonjo Shelvey among them.

Diving Accusations 'Unjust', Says Suarez

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has denied he is a diver. The Uruguay international has an unwelcome reputation for going down too easily and admits the label makes him angry.

"I insist I don't dive in the penalty area," he said. "This is my career and the bad reputation created around me is unjust. If you analyze the statistics, I am one of the forwards who receive the most fouls and free-kicks. There always seems to be controversy surrounding me but I accept the referee's decisions - they are only human.

"I accept the criticism against me but many people attack me without reason. That doesn't please me but I try to do my best day by day."

Speaking ahead of the meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Suarez talked of his desire to bring success back to Anfield and said he has no problem shouldering the weight of striking responsibility under Brendan Rodgers.

He added: "Many times I play alone in attack but that's not a pressure to me. My mission is to play and to score goals for Liverpool. Liverpool is one of the top clubs in England and we are obliged to fight for all the titles, including the Premier League.

"This has become complicated because of results so far so we need to give our maximum in every match. Rodgers is a new coach and is normal that things will get better match to match. I'm confident it will work.

"My dream for this season is to make the top four. Our squad should be fighting against the biggest rivals in this division."

Liverpool Starlet Demands £50k Contract

Raheem Sterling has demanded a new £50,000-per-week contract to stay at Liverpool, according to the Daily Mail.

The young winger has made an immediate impact after breaking into Liverpool’s first team this season, and scored the winner against Reading in the Premier League last month.

The 17-year-old was linked with a move away from Anfield over the summer with Tottenham said to be interested in securing his services, but his rise to prominence on Merseyside had lead most to expect him to stay put.

However according to the Daily Mail, Sterling's camp demanded a £48,000-per-week increase from his current deal when talks re-opened with Liverpool last week.

His current deal expires in 18 months and according to the Mail, the talented youngster will reject Liverpool’s offer of a new deal unless they meet his demands. The paper reports the Reds are preparing a deal in the region of £20,000-per-week, although that figure has not yet been pitched to Sterling’s representatives.

Such is the impact made by Sterling this season that he has already earned an international call-up for England for their friendly against Sweden this month, while has made 16 appearances overall for Liverpool this term.

Match Preview: Chelsea vs Liverpool

Chelsea and Liverpool renew their rivalry at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Super Sunday.

After several meetings in the UEFA Champions League and domestic cup finals, including last season's FA Cup, since the turn of the Millennium, these fixtures have developed into tense encounters.

Add to that the fact £50million man Fernando Torres will likely be facing former club Liverpool and looking for his first win against his ex-employers and it promises to be another fiery clash.

The Spaniard made his debut for Chelsea against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge after his January 2011 move but has lost all three Premier League meetings and also in the League Cup last season.

Torres did not feature in the last campaign's FA Cup final, when Liverpool was defeated 2-1 at Wembley.

Meanwhile, after losing top spot in the table to Manchester United, Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea, who defeated Shakhtar Donetsk with the last kick of the game in the Champions League on Wednesday, will want to get back on track.

Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers, who worked on the Blues' coaching staff earlier in his career, is desperate for a change of luck after collecting just two league wins since taking over in the summer.

The Anfield club also travels to London on the back of a Europa League defeat by Anzhi Makhachkala, who won 1-0 against a much-changed side in Moscow.

England left-back Ashley Cole will once again be missing for Chelsea when they host Liverpool.

Cole sat out Wednesday's Champions League win over Shakhtar with a hamstring injury and manager Di Matteo hopes he can return for next weekend's trip to West Bromwich Albion.

John Terry, back from suspension, will be pushing for a start on Sunday after he was surprisingly left on the bench in midweek, while Frank Lampard is still out.

Liverpool rested Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin, Daniel Agger, Jose Reina, Glen Johnson, Raheem Sterling and Jose Enrique for their midweek Europa League commitments.

The majority are likely to return to the starting XI at Stamford Bridge, although it remains to be seen if Reina and Johnson are fit.

Reina has missed six matches with a hamstring injury while Johnson has been absent for four games with a similar niggle.

Liverpool Star Hopes To Keep Torres Quiet

Martin Skrtel is determined to stop ex-Liverpool star Fernando Torres scoring against his old club when the clubs meet on Sunday.

Torres moved from Liverpool to Chelsea for £50 million in January 2011 following an impressive 81 goals and 142 appearances at the Merseyside club. This is in stark contrast to his time at Stamford Bridge where he has scored just 19 in 84 appearances.

Skrtel is not being lulled into a false sense of security and is anxious to keep the Spanish star under wraps.

"Now he is playing for Chelsea and if I play I will be marking him,” Skrtel told Liverpool’s website. "It’s going to be special but we have to look after him because even if he isn’t scoring goals at the moment he is still one of the best strikers in the world and still dangerous. We have to keep our eye on him for 90 minutes and not let him score.

“I haven’t seen Chelsea play too many times this season but from what I’ve heard his performances are better than last season. It’s going to be hard playing against him but I believe in my qualities and the quality of our team and I believe we won’t let him score.”

Asked if he would rather score himself or stop Torres scoring, Skrtel added: “Definitely stop Fernando scoring a goal because as a defender the main job on the pitch is to stop the striker scoring and try to keep a clean sheet. I always look forward to every single game I can play for this club. These big games are special and Sunday will be special.”

Johnson Return Boosts Liverpool

Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is set to return to first-team action against his former club Chelsea on Sunday, while Pepe Reina could also make his comeback.

Hamstring injuries have forced full-back Johnson and goalkeeper Reina out of the past four and six games respectively.

But manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that Johnson, who was Chelsea's first signing in the Roman Abramovich era, will be able to take his place in the defence.

Reina is more doubtful but Rodgers believes he will definitely be fit to face Wigan next Saturday if he does not line up against the Champions League winners.

"Glen looks very strong so he will be fit," Rodgers said. "We will assess Pepe over the next 24 hours and if he doesn't make the weekend, he will be fit for next. Pepe is recuperating very well and he is working very hard."

Australia international Brad Jones has been deputizing for Reina but Rodgers confirmed the Spaniard will be straight back into the team when he is able to return, saying: "Brad has done very well but Pepe is our No. 1 keeper."

The trip to Stamford Bridge pits Liverpool against their former striker Fernando Torres, who scored 33 goals in his debut campaign at Anfield and left for Chelsea in a British record £50 million deal in January 2011.

The same day Liverpool bought Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.8 million and Rodgers, who said he had never heard rumours that Torres would welcome a return to Anfield, praised his Uruguayan top scorer.

He said: "Certainly from the outside, Fernando Torres did a terrific job here. In those first 18 months he was fantastic. He decided to move on and Liverpool got a world-class striker who has been absolutely breathtaking.

"Particularly this season some of his play has been fantastic. He is a world-class striker and obviously Fernando Torres left to go to Chelsea and good luck to him. I'm blessed to work at a great club with great players and Luis is one of them. Liverpool have done terrifically from that deal."

Liverpool Hope Martinez Can Solve Striker Shortage

Liverpool is set to renew their interest in Porto striker Jackson Martinez.

Martinez, 26, was strongly linked with a move to Anfield during the summer but he opted to join the Portuguese side.

The Columbian forward has continued his impressive goalscoring run, netting 10 goals in just 11 games this season.

Italian sources claim Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has continued to monitor his progress and is ready to meet the buy-out clause in his contract.

With Andy Carroll joining West Ham on loan, Liverpool's attacking options are limited and Rodgers wants to provide more ammunition for Luis Suarez.

Porto will be desperate to keep Martinez at the club, but may be forced to sell their star forward if Liverpool meets the asking price in his contract which is believed to be around £18.5m.

Arsenal Join Liverpool In Scouting Austin

Arsenal and Liverpool are among the clubs keeping an eye on Burnley hot-shot Charlie Austin, according to the Daily Mail.

Austin has enjoyed an excellent start to the season after bagging an incredible 20-goals in just 16 games for Burnley so far this term, a haul that makes him the top scorer in all of Europe – ahead of superstars Lionel Messi (18) and Cristiano Ronaldo (19).

Unsurprisingly, his form has attracted interest from some of the Premier League’s top sides and Arsenal and Liverpool have sent scouts to run-the-rule over the 23-year-old in recent weeks.

Everton, Newcastle, Reading and Aston Villa have also been tracking the striker during Burnley’s last five games and several interested scouts watched on as he found the net once again with a late winner over Leeds United on Tuesday night.

Burnley is aware of the growing interest in their star striker and it seems the Championship side will do well to keep hold of Austin this January. However, if they are forced to sell they will be guaranteed a healthy profit on the £1.5m they spent on the player just last year.

It’s not often clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool buy from the Championship and there have been only a handful of names that have been able to make the step-up and perform at the highest level. While the standard is no doubt not at the same level as the Premiership, clubs can find great value in the Championship and natural goal-scorers like Austin could be worth a punt.

Liverpool Join City In The Hunt For Chelsea's Conor

Liverpool has joined the race to sign Chelsea's highly-rated midfielder Conor Hunte.

Sportsmail revealed last month that Premier League champions Manchester City were showing interest and they are due to watch him in action against Crystal Palace this weekend.

However, Liverpool is also keen on the England U17 international and wants to tempt him to join their burgeoning set up.

Hunte is 16 and has yet to sign a professional contract with Chelsea. He has played three times for England U17s but the attacking midfielder is uncertain about staying at Stamford Bridge.

He impressed City in the recent youth match between the two sides that Chelsea won 2-0 but Liverpool have a growing reputation for snapping up the best young players in the country and giving them a platform to break into the first team under Brendan Rodgers.

Raheem Sterling has forced his way into the reckoning at 17 and has now been given a full England call-up while Jerome Sinclair has also made his first team debut at just 16 years and six days after joining from West Brom.

That may encourage Hunte to move north although Liverpool and City would still have to pay a compensation fee.

Newcastle United Plan On Renewing Efforts To Sign Carroll

Alan Pardew has not given up on bringing Andy Carroll back to Newcastle United, and plans to bid for the striker once his loan spell at West Ham United expires.

Newcastle was keen to resign their former player from Liverpool during the summer, but the club’s demands proved to be too high. The 23-year-old eventually joined the Hammers on a season-long loan before the transfer window shut, but Pardew has revealed that the club would like to involve should Liverpool decide to sell the player next summer.

"He's a Liverpool player and not wanted so at some point he's going to move permanently," Pardew told BBC Sport. "I'd like to think we'll be in the mix for that."

The former Charlton and Southampton manager also admitted he would like to bring Kevin Nolan back to Tyneside, if he had the money at his disposal. The 30-year-old left St James’ Park for West Ham in 2011 and has enjoyed a successful spell in East London, which has continued to flourish this season alongside his old Newcastle teammate Carroll.

"Big Andy hopefully one day will want to come back and certainly I'd like to have them both in my squad now because we would be stronger for it. But obviously finances restrict me from doing that."

Match Report: Anzhi Makhachkala 1 - 0 Liverpool

Liverpool conceded top spot in Group A to Europa League opponents Anzhi Makhachkala after defeat in Moscow.

Giant striker Lacina Traore scored a brilliant individual goal as the visitors switched off seconds before half-time.

The result, the Reds' first-ever away defeat in the group stage and only their third loss in 22 European matches, allowed the Russian club to assume pole position.

Anzhi may play 1,000 miles away from their home in Dagestan because of security issues but they remain strong on Russian turf and made it five successive European home wins.

It was always going to be a tough assignment for Liverpool as manager Brendan Rodgers, with Sunday's trip to Chelsea in mind and unperturbed by a weakened team's Capital One Cup exit against Swansea last week, opted to leave his big-name stars at home.

As a result he selected nine Englishmen, in a starting XI with an average age of just under 24, in a 3-5-2 formation.

It meant Conor Coady, who captained England Under-17s to their first European Championship title in 2010, made his debut in an icy-cold Lokomotiv Stadium.

The Liverpool-born 19-year-old has progressed through the club's academy and was given his chance having been an unused first-team substitute three times.

Striker Adam Morgan, 18, was making only his second start but, having been prolific throughout youth level Rodgers remains hopeful he will eventually make the step up and he was given the difficult job of leading the line.

At the other end of the scale Joe Cole, on his 31st birthday, struggled to make an impact again after a woeful 45 minutes against the Swans.

The first half was a typically cagey European affair with chances at a premium.

All of which made it all the more remarkable that when presented with a shooting opportunity Jordan Henderson declined in the 23rd minute.

The 22-year-old spoke before the match about wanting to prove he has a future at Anfield but he will need to improve his decision making if that is to be the case.

Morgan showed good strength to hold off Odil Ahmedov and thread a pass through but from a 45-degree angle he opted to cut the ball back to the striker.

It probably showed a lack of confidence but chances in Europe do not come around that frequently and it was a waste.

Contrast that with former Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o, Anzhi's £330,000-a-week marquee signing, who forced Brad Jones into a good save from Yuri Zhirkov's cross after the ex-Chelsea player had robbed Andre Wisdom near Liverpool's right touchline.

Henderson flicked on a tame near-post header from Downing's cross and Cole nodded Downing's inswinging free-kick wide before, in added time, Liverpool lapsed.

Traore brilliant spun Sebastian Coates with a left-footed touch and then lobbed Jones with his right for his fourth goal in six matches.

Cole at least made it out for the second half, which was more than he did last week, and set up Morgan to fire into the side-netting soon after the restart.

Eto'o replied with a curling shot which Jones claimed comfortably diving to his left while Traore and Rasim Tagirbekov flashed shots just past the post as the game began to open up.

Substitutes Suso and Dani Pacheco, on for Morgan and Coady, gave the forward line some more youthful impetus but it was the hosts who remained the more threatening with Jones making another good save from Traore's powerful header.

Cole's last contribution before being replaced by Oussama Assaidi was to force a close-range save from Vladimir Gabulov after he had fumbled Suso's shot.

But Traore should have finished off Liverpool when put clean through by Eto'o but he rolled his effort wide of the upright.

Henderson had a late chance to equalise but ballooned his shot well over.

Brendan Rodgers Defends Team Selection

Brendan Rodgers has defended his team selection following Liverpool's 1-0 loss to Anzhi Makhachkala.

The Liverpool boss made nine changes from his side that drew 1-1 with Newcastle last weekend, leaving out stars Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez for the Europa League tie. Lacina Traore scored the winning goal for Anzhi putting the Russian side top of the group, one point ahead of Liverpool.

Asked whether bringing Gerrard and the others would have made a difference, Rodgers said: "Not at all. I think that is a little disrespectful to the players who are here. They have been magnificent and I thought they did really well and we just got punished for a mistake," said the Reds boss.

"That led to us losing the game but I don't think it was anything to do with Suarez, Gerrard, Joe Allen, Martin Skrtel or Daniel Agger not being here," added Rodgers. "It was a much-changed team but Coady came in and was outstanding in his first start, playing against top players, and for Flanagan it was his first game in a long time. It was just one of those things. We will take it as a team, we are disappointed but there are so many positives [to take] from the game."

Anzhi manager Guus Hiddink conceded that Liverpool controlled the game but thought if his side had taken their chances they would have won comfortably.

"They had a young side but that does not mean they were not experienced as some of those players play frequently in the Premier League," Hiddink said. "They were good players, skilful players who were tactically good. They tested us but we also have some young players so it's a good result for us. We didn't finish it off in the second half, we had two big opportunities, but it was an interesting game on a very bad pitch. They controlled the game and tested us but that makes me happy with this result.”

Liverpool sit 12th in the Premier League and will look to turn their poor start to their Premier League season around against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Coady Eager After Dream Debut

Conor Coady says he fulfilled a childhood dream when making his Liverpool debut against Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday night, and now wants a taste of the action more regularly.

The 19-year-old became the latest young talent to experience first-team football under Brendan Rodgers, starting in a central midfield role for the Europa League Group A fixture.

While the local lad described the occasion as 'really special', a maiden appearance has merely inspired the youngster to grab himself further opportunities in the starting XI.

"It was fantastic and I enjoyed every minute of it," Coady explained to the Liverpool Echo. "It was a big night for me and my family. It's every boy's dream to play for Liverpool.

"You have to be patient, bide your time and work hard in training. I've waited a long time for this day and it was really special to get out there and play.

"I put my all into it and I was made up to make my debut. I was happy with the way I played and I thought all the boys did well. Hopefully it's the first appearance of many for me."

The Reds were unfortunate in slipping to a 1-0 defeat by Anzhi in Moscow, conceding as the first half concluded, and Coady fully expects the team to bounce back.

The No.35 continued: "I thought we were a bit unlucky not to get anything from the game.

"It was a mistake for their goal and we were gutted to concede just before half-time. We sat in there, competed with them and I thought we were fantastic tactically.

"As a young lad you want to play against the best players in the world and to come up against [Samuel] Eto'o was great.

"He's still up there with the best - a class act. We're just disappointed not to get a result, but we will bounce back from this and become better.

"It's fantastic to play under Brendan. He has given a lot of us young lads games this season and it's great he has shown that faith."

Match Preview: Anzhi Makhachkala v. Liverpool

After playing six of their last seven at home, Liverpool are back out on the road, this time heading to Moscow to face Anzhi Makhachkala as the final half of Europa League group play gets started.

The experiment continues for Liverpool, with significant changes in cup competition the norm, and a constant sense of anxious excitement about seeing youngsters and fringe first-teamers compete in matches that they're not necessarily ready for. They can over-perform and inspire as evidenced against Young Boys and West Brom, or they can look lost and disorganized, as witnessed against Swansea in the League Cup loss last week.

At least on Thursday there's not really any purgatory for Brendan Rodgers, the club announced the names that traveled earlier in the day, and it's a squad with more youngsters than squad regulars, with only a handful who have seen consistent minutes in league. The cup competitions have been an excellent avenue for Rodgers to bleed those from the Academy, and Thursday looks to be another chance for the manager to challenge his younger players.

Anzhi poses a significant challenge, even if there's a few factors negating what would otherwise make for an overwhelming atmosphere; the club play their home matches in Moscow, meaning a shorter trip, and the crowd is expected to be sparse in an effort to control the hostility that's marred Anzhi's appearances to date. They've played twice since their loss at Anfield, first losing away to Rubin Kazan 2-1 before bouncing back with a 3-1 home win over Terek Grozny. It's certainly an important match for both sides, but with Anzhi two points off Liverpool and Udinese facing Young Boys at home, three points are vital for Guus Hiddink's squad going into their final group fixtures.

A host of changes are in store, meaning that in addition to the absences of Martin Kelly, Lucas, and Fabio Borini through injury, Liverpool will be without most of their first-choice eleven and the recovering Glen Johnson and Pepe Reina.

That means matchups against Young Boys, West Brom, and Swansea will serve as the template, with a side that'll leave no middle ground about where the priorities lie ahead of Sunday's challenging trip to London to face Chelsea. It looks like another opportunity for Brad Jones in goal barring an appearance for Peter Gulacsi, and either a quick return for Andre Wisdom, the re-emergence of Jon Flanagan, or Jordan Henderson deputizing at right back.

Hopefully it's Flanagan, which would spell Wisdom ahead of the weekend and leave Henderson available for the midfield, where options are limited even with his presence. The rest of the back line seems easy enough, with Jamie Carragher, Sebastian Coates, and Jack Robinson the most likely to feature.

It’s a threadbare midfield without Gerrard, Allen, and Sahin, leaving either Conor Coady or Dani Pacheco in line for an appearance and a mandate that Henderson and Jonjo Shelvey start. I suppose Suso could make his way into the midfield as well, but like Wisdom, he seems set for a spot at Stamford Bridge, and anything other than a substitute appearance could prove too taxing. Pacheco was very impressive for the U21s against Wolves and might get the nod, and after the appearance against Swansea, the less said about Joe Cole the better.

We saw against Swansea that Samed Yesil is nowhere near ready to lead the line at the senior level yet, and on short rest (like Pacheco) another start might not be likely. Rodgers doesn't have many other options if he wants a striker in the lineup aside from Yesil and Adam Morgan, so it's got to be one of the two. I'll go with Morgan given Yesil's outing earlier in the week, and we're left to hope that he receives more direct support than Yesil did against Swansea. Stewart Downing and Oussama Assaidi have started in every cup match Liverpool have played since advancing to the group stage, with Downing getting the winner at Anfield when these teams faced off two weeks ago.