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A late header from Dirk Kuyt edged Liverpool into the last 16 of the Europa League to build an eight-match unbeaten run under Kenny Dalglish and, most importantly, improve the Anfield club’s prospects of ending a tumultuous season with silverware. Not that anyone should be booking trips to Dublin just yet.

With Steven Gerrard, Luis Suárez and Andy Carroll watching from the stands this was a far from convincing European display by Liverpool although, as was the case with their defensive display at Sparta Prague, Dalglish can argue the ends justified the means. Until Kuyt’s 85th-minute breakthrough, however, this tie remained in the balance.

The goalless first leg left both sides with an incentive to attack and, mercifully, they took it. There was more incident in the opening 85 seconds at Anfield than for the duration of that non-event in the Prague, with the Sparta left-back, Manuel Pamic, escaping with a clear handball inside his own penalty area following a free-kick from Raul Meireles. The Serbian referee, Milorad Mazic, did have the excuse of peering through a crowded penalty area at the incident but the additional assistant referee was only yards away yet allowed play to continue.

Sparta were frequently undermined by a poor final touch while Liverpool’s weakness in front of goal was their ruthlessness, or lack of. Sotirios Kyrgiakos could not be faulted on that score, having forced a fine save from Jaromir Blazek after beating three opponents to a Meireles corner and taking a smack to the mouth for his troubles. That’s the Vogue shoot ruined. Meireles, however, skied over when Kelly’s cross fell at his feet six yards from goal and, worse still, Joe Cole pulled out of a 50-50 with the Sparta goalkeeper after he had parried David Ngog’s shot towards the England international.

Cole did force Blazek into an awkward save when cutting in from the left but that was a rare end-product from the midfielder who, while looking sharp despite a recent knee problem, was again isolated on the margins. With David Ngog also a peripheral and weak figure, Dalglish’s team struggled to exert sustained pressure on a Sparta team whose threat faded as the contest wore on and were eventually beaten from a set-piece five minutes from time.

Kuyt, reprising a training routine that has paid dividends in the past, stood next to the Sparta goalkeeper as Meireles whipped a corner on to the six-yard line before peeling away and glancing a header home.

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• Serbia international stunned by Northampton victory
• ‘We know this is not Liverpool. It is very bad’

The Liverpool forward Milan Jovanovic has branded the Carling Cup exit to League Two Northampton as a “catastrophe”.

The Serbia international got the Reds off to an ideal start with his first goal for the club after just nine minutes.

However, it went rapidly downhill from there and although David Ngog snatched a late equaliser in extra time to make it 2-2 Liverpool went out on penalties, the first time they had gone out to fourth-tier opposition.

“Catastrophe. I am so disappointed,” said Jovanovic. “We know this is not Liverpool. It is very bad. I am so surprised by the performance. I have not got enough experience of English football but I didn’t expect this. Northampton played a really good game. We played a bad game – but this is football.”

Jovanovic added in the Liverpool Echo: “I am so disappointed. We all are. We are sorry for the result but we have to move on now.”

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• French striker had been linked with a move away from Anfield
• ‘I was pleased that he crowned his performance with two goals’

Roy Hodgson was delighted with the performance of David Ngog after the Frenchman’s double got the new Liverpool manager’s reign off to a winning start last night and said that he plans to keep the striker at Anfield.

Ngog, playing alone up front, struck in each half as an under-strength Liverpool emerged from a potentially tricky Europa League third qualifying round first leg tie against FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia with a 2-0 win.

Ngog’s future has been uncertain since Hodgson took charge a month ago with reports linking the 21-year-old with a move to West Brom. The player, however, has expressed a desire to remain at Anfield. “I can’t stop players being linked with other clubs. I certainly have never discussed him leaving,” said Hodgson. “I think Ngog has done well in the pre-season matches so far and he has worked very hard in the training sessions. I was pleased that he crowned his performance with two goals.

“I thought his target play, his general movement and his ability to keep the ball for us was also very good. But front players need goals and that will be a very big weight off his mind. It will mean he doesn’t have to worry too much about the coming matches.”

With their Premier League opener against Arsenal still 17 days away, Liverpool were without 10 of their World Cup players in Macedonia. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson were left to train on Merseyside while Fernando Torres, José Reina and Dirk Kuyt are still on holiday.

Ngog was one of only a handful of recognised senior players in the starting line-up with Lucas, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Alberto Aquilani.

Youngsters David Amoo, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly all took the chance to impress against a limited Rabotnicki side and Hodgson’s selection was fully vindicated.

“I am very satisfied,” Hodgson said. “It was a game that could have been very difficult for us. It was a big crowd and some of our players that played are not used to big crowds.

“I was really pleased with the way everyone went about their business and we can go back to Anfield with a margin of victory which will enable us to feel a little more comfortable.”

Some Rabotnicki fans appeared to direct monkey taunts at Liverpool’s black players, David Ngog and David Amoo, during the match. Macedonian football has had problems with racism before and their governing body was fined after England players Emile Heskey, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell were subjected to abuse during an international in 2003.

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