Watch Liverpool

Liverpool will be fined for picking up six bookings here, but will reckon it a fair price for an ugly display that gave them a point away to one of their rivals for the last of the Champions League slots. Only the wholly partisan could have taken pleasure from the sustained sterility.

The action was often appalling, as if both sides were paralysed by the notion of the harm defeat might do them. Prior to the interval, onlookers had to wring as much excitement as they could from a Maxi Rodríguez attempt for Liverpool that was deflected behind or a header wide for the visitors by Martin Skrtel from a Steven Gerrard corner.

It would be overstating the case to suggest that Rafael Benítez’s side had been in charge. Too many footballers were preoccupied in the fruitless search for their vanished form. Hints of the high stakes kept on coming in the flickering of yellow cards. Javier Mascherano, already cautioned, should have been dismissed for a raking foul down the back of Gareth Barry’s leg four minutes from the close.

City, for their part, were uneasy following the midweek draw at Stoke. In any dispute with his players a manager can appear to have the final word. Following the reported unrest in the squad, Roberto Mancini put Micah Richards on the bench with Kolo Touré beside him, although the Ivorian was reported to have a presumably minor knee problem. Mancini might argue that action by him is essential as the team tries to cling to a top-four berth over the particularly demanding programme to come.

City have to take on Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa in the weeks ahead and meetings with those struggling against relegation will be demanding in a different way. Here, the most gruelling experience was endured by fans obliged to watch.

Premier LeagueManchester CityLiverpoolKevin McCarraguardian.co.uk