Not that Liverpool had it all their own way by any means. Stoke are nobody’s mugs, and they came to Anfield with a game plan and the necessary desire and commitment to implement it. Indeed, for much of the first half they were the better side, and were unlucky not to have made the break with a lead.

Charlie Adam should have punished his former club when a Nuri Sahin mistake gifted him a chance, but the midfielder shot wastefully against Pepe Reina’s legs, and then when the Liverpool keeper also blundered in giving the ball away, Michael Kightly again should have done better with the subsequent chance.

Even in the dying moments, Stoke were thwarted by a fine clearance by Johnson when Peter Crouch lurked at the far post with intent, and even though Liverpool will argue differently, a draw was a fair result for the visitors’ efforts.

Liverpool 0 – 0 Stoke highlights

Liverpool: Reina 6, Wisdom 7, Skrtel 6, Agger 6, Johnson 6, Gerrard 6, Allen 7, Sahin 6 (Assaidi 79), Suso 7 (Cole 67, 5), Suarez 7, Sterling 6

Stoke: Begovic 7, Cameron 7, Shawcross 8, Huth 7, Wilson 7, Walters 8, N’Zonzi 6, Whelan 6 (Whitehead 20, 6), Kightly 5 (Etherington 64, 6), Adam 5 (Edu 81), Crouch 6

Ref: Lee Mason ATT: 44,531

Game Played on 7th October, 2012
Kick Off at 14:00 (GMT)
Half Time finished with scoreline 0:0
Game ended with scoreline 0:0