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Liverpool dropped two more points at the home that was once their fortress in a goalless draw that never rose above the mundane. They remain unbeaten at Anfield in the Premier League, but have won four games out of 11.

The biggest surprise of the afternoon was Kenny Dalglish’s line-up. It was hardly a shock that Andy Carroll was relegated to the bench after his recent ineffectiveness, but wholesale changes meant Jamie Carragher was recalled in a back three, between Martin Skrtel and the Uruguayan Sebastián Coates, who was making his second appearance of the season in the league. Craig Bellamy was also dropped, leaving Dirk Kuyt, who has not scored in the Premier League all season, shouldering the attacking burden.

Unusually subdued, the Anfield crowd were probably still taking it all in when Matthew Etherington burst through the middle and warmed Pepe Reina’s hands from 18 yards. When Liverpool eventually showed signs of asserting themselves, Ryan Shawcross made a last-ditch intervention to shut out Glen Johnson, Stewart Downing fired over from 20 yards and Jordan Henderson’s shot from similar range brought an uncomplicated save from Thomas Sorensen.

For all that, however, the first half was disappointing fare, Liverpool’s passing relentlessly shoddy and their attack lacking a focal point. Much too often they resorted to the hit-and-hope long ball. Early in the second half, when Kuyt dithered and was dispossessed, the Kop finally lost patience and bellowed its collective disapproval.

Carroll was introduced in the hope that his height might inconvenience Stoke’s defenders, but aerial combat has long been their speciality. Liverpool appealed, in vain, for a penalty when Jonathan Woodgate collided with Kuyt.It was a close call, but it ought not to have mattered.

They should have had one goal that was always going to be decisive after 77 minutes, but Kuyt headed wide of the far post from six yards after José Enrique’s cross from the left had reached him via Woodgate’s involuntary deflection.

With five minutes left they were close again when Skrtel bounced a header over the crossbar from the substitute Bellamy’s corner, but it was not to be.

Premier League 2011-12LiverpoolStoke CityPremier LeagueJoe Lovejoyguardian.co.uk

Liverpool have never lost a top flight game at home to Stoke, a record lasting 48 matches, and will be confident of extending that sequence even without Luis Suárez, having finally located the net at Anfield and with the Carling Cup semi-final win at Manchester City behind them. This is the 50th game of Kenny Dalglish’s second spell in charge – he has 26 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses so far – while Stoke, with Liverpool old boy Peter Crouch in form, have improved greatly on their travels and arrive at Anfield having lost only once in eight league games. Andy Hunter

Venue Anfield, Saturday 3pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Liverpool 2 Stoke 0

Referee Howard Webb

This season’s matches 15 Y48, R3, 3.40 cards per game

Odds Liverpool 2-5 Stoke 7-1 Draw 100-30

Liverpool

Subs from Doni, Bellamy, Kuyt, Kelly, Carragher, Aurélio, Spearing, Coates, Flanagan, Shelvey, Robinson

Doubtful Robinson (foot), Spearing (hamstring)

Injured Lucas (knee, Aug)

Suspended Suárez (fourth of eight)

Form guide LWDDWW

Disciplinary record Y30 R3

Leading scorer Suárez 5

Stoke

Subs from Begovic, Fuller, Diao, Palacios, Higginbotham, Jones, Upson, Whitehead, Delap, Wilkinson, Jerome

Doubtful Shotton (calf), Wilkinson (knee), Wilson (thigh), Woodgate (groin)

Injured Sidibe (achilles, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WDDLWW

Disciplinary record Y36 R0

Leading scorer Crouch 6

Match pointers

• Stoke have failed to score in their three Premier League visits to Anfield and have scored just once in their last 10 away games against Liverpool in all competitions

• Luis Suárez, who is unavailable for selection due to his eight-match ban, scored his first ever goal for Kenny Dalglish’s side in this fixture last season – it was also his debut for the club

• Stoke’s former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has scored three goals in his last three Premier League games

• The hosts have had more corners than any other top-flight team this season (177)

LiverpoolStoke CityPremier League 2011-12Premier Leagueguardian.co.uk

• ‘We’re desperate to win silverware and taking it very seriously’
• Forward says Liverpool have to be more ruthless against Stoke

Dirk Kuyt believes failure to qualify for Europe has placed added significance on the Carling Cup at Liverpool this season and the Dutchman says his first trophy since joining the club in 2006 is long overdue.

Kenny Dalglish is expected to field a strong lineup in the fourth-round tie at Stoke City as Liverpool seek their first win in five visits to the Britannia Stadium and a place in the quarter-finals for the first time in four seasons. Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, made several changes for Tottenham Hotspur’s visit in round three to deal with the demands of the Europa League on his squad. With no such distractions or targets available to Liverpool, Kuyt knows the competition is a priority for Dalglish’s team.

The Holland striker said: “Not being involved in Europe is a major blow to the club so the Carling Cup is a great trophy to win because we’re all desperate to win some silverware. Last season was such a disappointment, this one is all about improvement and we can achieve that by doing well in the Carling Cup. We have the squad to do well in each competition and have a lot of depth. The Carling Cup is being taken very seriously and hopefully we can use the bad taste we have in our mouth after drawing with Norwich in the league and use that in a positive way against Stoke.”

Liverpool have not won a trophy since the 2006 FA Cup and Kuyt, who signed for the club that summer, is desperate for the first silverware of his Anfield career. “In all my time as a Liverpool player I have been close to winning trophies,” he said. “There was the Champions League final, the semi-final and coming second in the Premier League. We have been close but it is now time to get some silverware.”

Stoke inflicted the first defeat of the season on Dalglish’s team in September when Liverpool wasted a host of clear chances, as was the case in the 1-1 draw against Norwich City on Saturday. Kuyt said: “Stoke is one of the most difficult games in the league. They are very strong, but we can be a strong, physical team as well. If we create as many chances as we have been doing we will be happy, but the only thing that has to change is the number of goals we score. We have to be more ruthless.”

Lucas Leiva is available for selection at the Britannia Stadium having served a one-match suspension against Norwich after collecting five bookings this season.

LiverpoolStoke CityCarling Cup 2011-12Carling CupAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk