- Date:2008-12-13
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Anfield
- Attendance:43835
- Referee:Wiley, A
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: LIVERPOOL 2-2 HULL CITY. Liverpool draw at home again despite dominating the game for long periods as Hull battle for a point.
90mins
Xabi Alonso is booked for blocking Dean Marney's run.
90mins
There's four minutes of added time.
90mins
Hull are pressing but Geovanni's cross is headed clear by Sami Hyypia.
88mins
Sami Hyypia is booked for a foul on Dean Marney and Hull have a free-kick.
87mins
Javier Mascherano makes way for Lucas Leiva, no Robbie Keane again today.
86mins
Hull can't make the most of a corner and Liverpool counterattack but Dirk Kuyt misses his kick.
84mins
It's end-to-end now, Hull aren't settling for a point.
83mins
Nabil El Zhar is booked for a studs-up challenge on Kamil Zayatte.
82mins
Ryan Babel is on for Albert Riera.
82mins
Boaz Myhill does well to save Nabil El Zhar's effort and keep the game level.
81mins
Peter Halmosi's cross is too high for everyone in the Hull attack.
79mins
Sami Hyypia's header flashes past the post from another Liverpool corner.
77mins
Dean Windass is on for Nicky Barmby, who is applauded by both sets of fans.
76mins
Steven Gerrard has an effort from 25 yards which goes wide.
75mins
Yossi Benayoun makes way for Nabil El Zhar.
74mins
Xabi Alonso's curling shot is just over the bar as space opens up for Liverpool.
72mins
Geovanni takes on the Liverpool defence and his shot flashes across the goal.
71mins
Jamie Carragher is playing on the right wing now and tries to play through Peter Halmosi but can't get past him.
69mins
Marlon King's corner is easily headed away and Liverpool counterattack quickly but give the ball away.
68mins
Albert Riera gets right underneath the ball and his shot ends up high in the stand.
67mins
Peter Halmosi is on for George Boateng.
66mins
Albert Riera's shot is beaten away by Boaz Myhill.
64mins
Three chances for Liverpool in one move, Yossi Benayoun coming closest but he can't get the ball out from under his feet.
62mins
Liverpool step up the pressure and Albert Riera's ball misses both the defenders and Dirk Kuyt and goes out for a goal-kick.
60mins
Geovanni curls a shot in and it's only just over the top corner.
60mins
Sami Hyypia hits the post from a corner as Liverpool get closer to going ahead.
59mins
George Boateng tries his luck from distance but his shot is well wide.
57mins
Albert Riera scoops the ball over the bar after being set up by Steven Gerrard.
55mins
There's not quite the same excitement of the first half in this second period.
54mins
The Hull fans are still making a lot of noise and enjoying their day at Anfield.
52mins
Hull are trying to build patiently but Steven Gerrard wins the ball back and sets up a counterattack.
50mins
Dirk Kuyt misses another chance and he's not having the best day.
48mins
Andrea Dossena's corner is headed behind for another, and the Liverpool pressure continues.
46mins
Dean Marney goes into the book for a challenge on Sami Hyypia.
46mins
The second half is underway.
45mins
Half-Time: LIVERPOOL 2-2 HULL CITY. A hugely entertaining first half comes to an end and Hull will welcome the break from almost non-stop Liverpool pressure.
45mins
Jamie Carragher has another chance but scuffs his shot wide.
45mins
Jamie Carragher could have gone for goal from the free-kick but headed the ball back across the area.
45mins
George Boateng is booked for pulling Steven Gerrard back.
45mins
There's four minutes of added time.
45mins
Dirk Kuyt can't quite react quickly enough to the free-kick and the chance is gone.
45mins
Nicky Barmby concedes a free-kick for a foul on Alvaro Arbeloa.
44mins
George Boateng tries a long-range shot which is gathered by Jose Reina.
42mins
Xabi Alonso tries a curling shot which goes just wide and Liverpool are piling on the pressure.
40mins
Javier Mascherano almost puts Yossi Benayoun through and it's last-ditch defending from Nicky Barmby that saves Hull.
39mins
Hull have a corner which Michael Turner almost reaches but Sami Hyypia gets there first to clear.
38mins
Albert Riera drags an effort wide and Hull are struggling to cope with Liverpool.
36mins
Bernard Mendy hits a shot from 30 yards out that goes high into the crowd.
35mins
Marlon King's effort bounces right in front of Jose Manuel Reina and he struggles to keep hold of the ball.
33mins
Liverpool are in the mood now and Hull will have to be careful.
31mins
LIVERPOOL 2-2 HULL CITY. GERRARD equalises with a half-volley high into the net from eight yards out after latching on to Yossi Benayoun's pass.
28mins
Dean Marney comes on for Paul McShane.
26mins
Hull's goalscorer Paul McShane goes into the book.
24mins
LIVERPOOL 1-2 HULL CITY. Liverpool get a quick goal back, GERRARD with an easy finish after Albert Riera had beaten a Hull defender
22mins
LIVERPOOL 0-2 HULL CITY. CARRAGHER gives away a free-kick and then turns the ball into his own net from Bernard Mendy's whipped-in cross.
18mins
Bernard Mendy sends in a cross with Nicky Barmby and Deiberson Geovanni waiting in the area but Alvaro Arbeloa puts in a vital clearance.
17mins
Paul McShane sends a long ball over but Bernard Mendy is offside.
16mins
Liverpool step up the pressure and Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun both have good chances to score from Dossena's pass but can't make contact with the ball.
14mins
The Hull fans are in full voice now.
12mins
LIVERPOOL 0-1 HULL CITY. PAUL MCSHANE puts Hull ahead against the run of play with a header from a set-piece.
11mins
Steven Gerrard is back on but moving gingerly after taking that knock to his left ankle.
10mins
Xabi Alonso's free-kick evades everyone and goes behind.
9mins
Steven Gerrard lands awkwardly after a high challenge and is receiving treatment.
8mins
Jose Manuel Reina has another chance but puts the ball wide.
7mins
Yossi Benayoun has a good chance but the ball falls to Jose Manuel Reina's effort is deflected wide as Hull are stretched.
6mins
Hull have their first corner and Michael Turner gets his head to the ball but his effort is saved.
5mins
Nicky Barmby sends a cross into the area and Hull appeal for a handball as the ball ricochets off Sami Hyypia and Javier Mascherano.
4mins
Bernard Mendy shows his pace as he tries to get forward but Hull give the ball away.
2mins
Steven Gerrard sends the ball into the area but Ian Ashbee is there to clear for Hull who can't get out of their own half.
2mins
Liverpool have started brightly and look comfortable in possession.
1mins
Alan Wiley gets the game underway on a miserable grey December day.
0mins
Can Hull upset odds of 8 to 1 to end Liverpool's long unbeaten home record?
Match Preview
Liverpool have the opportunity to move four points clear at the top of the table when they face Hull City at Anfield.
The Reds are in action 24 hours before nearest rivals Chelsea, so could strike a psychological blow in what looks set to be a nip-and-tuck battle for this season's Premier League title.
But three points is by no means guaranteed for Rafa Benitez's side as the Tigers are currently exceeding all expectations and riding high in sixth place in the table.
Liverpool's recent home form against sides that, on paper at least, the league leaders should be able to overcome has also been a little disappointing, as goalless draws with West Ham United and Fulham in recent weeks has led to suggestions that the pressure of being involved in a title race is beginning to take its toll.
Benitez's side answered their critics with last weekend's 3-1 victory at Blackburn Rovers - only the third time this season they have won a league match by more than one clear goal.
In the absence of Fernando Torres through injury, goals continue to be hard to come by as last weekend three midfielders - Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun and Steven Gerrard - were the only names on the scoresheet.
Dirk Kuyt has scored just five times in 16 Premier League games this season, while Robbie Keane just twice following his £20million summer arrival.
Elsewhere, Fabio Aurelio (calf), Martin Skrtel (knee) and Philipp Degen (foot) remain absent through injury.
Hull City's fairytale season continues to go from strength to strength as they consolidated their place in the UEFA Cup qualifying places with a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough last weekend.
The Tigers looked to be heading for a rare defeat until a Ross Turnbull own goal and a Marlon King penalty in the final ten minutes saw the home side pick up their first win in six matches.
In that six-game period, Phil Brown's side had faced the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea and avoided heavy defeats in a further fillip to their already high confidence levels.
Away from home, the Tigers have been in particularly impressive form as they have lost only one game on their travels in the top-flight and scored an average of almost two goals per game.
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Match Report
Premier League leaders Liverpool had to settle for just a point at Anfield after Hull City side went two goals up before Steven Gerrard struck twice to secure a share of the spoils.
Hull took an early lead through a Paul McShane header and a Jamie Carragher own goal, but the Reds fought back to draw level in the first 45.
Despite being dominated for two thirds of the game Phil Brown's men showed exactly why they are sixth in the league and created a fair few chances of their own.
Camped in the visitors half for the opening ten minutes Liverpool were throwing bodies forward looking for an early opener, but it was Hull who stole the lead in the 12th minute against the run of play.
A free-kick from wide on the right was lofted in high and deep from Geovanni and a weak attempted header from Sami Hyypia fell at the feet of lone striker Marlon King, who was allowed to whip a ball back into the box where McShane was on-hand to nod home the opener.
Stunned by going a goal behind so early Liverpool failed to settle.
Hull's second came on 22 minutes after a bizarre altercation between Carragher and referee Alan Wiley, over a free-kick decision, left the Liverpool defender was always behind the play after Geovanni took a quick set-piece to King.
A pin-point crossfield ball from King found Bernard Mendy bombing down the right and after he effortlessly skipped around Andrea Dossena his low driven cross was missed by Hyypia and was inadvertently stabbed in by a back-tracking Carragher.
Not resting on their two-goal lead Hull were still throwing men forward and it was a quick Liverpool break that brought the home side back into the game.
A Dirk Kuyt cross wasn't dealt with by the Hull backline after good pressure from Albert Riera and was only half-cleared. The ball found its way to Gerrard who found the bottom corner past a stranded Boaz Myhill in the visitors' goal.
Liverpool started turning the screw in search of an equaliser and it came just after the half-hour mark when a hopeful cross into the box from Carragher was headed down by Kuyt to Yossi Benayoun and it was his quick thinking that set up Gerrard to rifle home his second of the match.
The Reds were unlucky not to take the lead on 42 minutes after a trademark curling effort from Xabi Alonso had Myhill beaten all-ends-up, but the ball whistled inches past the post.
Hull were lucky to go into the break with the scores level after a corner from Kuyt found its way to the back post where a Riera header was cleared off the line by George Boateng.
The second half saw Liverpool start taking control of the game and efforts from Kuyt and Benayoun tested Myhill, but it was a header from Hyypia just before the hour mark that came closest to giving Liverpool the lead, but he was denied by the post.
The Reds were terrorising the Tigers backline with wave after wave of attack and a deflected Alvaro Arbeloa cross sat up nicely for Riera who blasted his first time effort straight at Myhill who could only punch the ball clear.
Hull still looked dangerous whenever Geovanni had the ball at his feet, but Liverpool were playing high up the pitch restricting the talented Brazilian to long-range efforts which never troubled Jose Reina.
Liverpool substitute Nabil El Zhar came close to giving his side the lead with ten minutes left on the clock after a good pass from Riera across the edge of the Hull area found the youngster, who created space and his low shot brought out the best in Myhill, who managed to get his right hand down to the ball and gather at his second attempt.
With four minutes of added time on the board Liverpool had ten men in the final third looking for the finishing blow and an effort from Arbeloa looked to be flying in before a last-gasp block from Kamil Zayatte won his side a deserved point.
Liverpool Team
Liverpool | Hull City |
Corners
| 8 | 4 |
Fouls
| 12 | 8 |
Goal attempts
| 21 | 9 |
Shots off target
| 11 | 6 |
Offsides
| 3 | 4 |



90mins
The Liverpool fans are frustrated as Nabil El Zhar plays the ball behind for a goal-kick.