Stoke 2-0 Liverpool

After the small steps of recovery, another set back and it will not just be defeat that came courtesy of Ricardo Fuller’s second-half effort that will concern Roy Hodgson but the convincing manner of the loss at the Britannia Stadium.

A decade ago this month Liverpool won 8-0 in the League Cup at the Britannia Stadium but yesterday they rarely troubled the Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and required the kind of defensive stubbornness associated with the Gerard Houllier era to keep the relentless hosts within reach.

The gap between the clubs has certainly closed and that is not all down to the undoubted progress made by Stoke.

In the end, they suffered a fifth Premier League defeat of the season as a six-match unbeaten run since last month's 2-0 defeat at Everton came to an end, while Stoke have bounced back from a five-game losing burst with back to back victories.

Liverpool's recent improvement has perhaps relaxed Roy Hodgson a little and the manager showed no apprehension in shaking the hand of Stoke's 'Pottermus' mascot as he walked to the dugout before kick off.

Martin Skrtel had boldly predicted that Liverpool could handle Rory Delap's long throws beforehand but after the Irish midfielder's first hurl into the area, Maxi Rodriguez appeared to bundle Ricardo Fuller to the floor before the visitors cleared.

Skrtel showed similar aggression in wrestling Robert Huth out of the way before heading away Delap's second effort but his third had Liverpool creaking with Pepe Reina complaining he had been blocked off before having to palm wide from a powerful Dean Whitehead strike.

From the Matthew Etherington corner that followed, Sotirios Kyrgiakos slipped, leaving Kenwyne Jonse unmarked but the striker glanced wide of goal from six yards.

Still the pressure continued, with Kyrgiakos towering over Jones to head away a Ryan Shawcross free kick before another thumping effort from Whitehead flew just past Reina's top corner.

Rattled, Liverpool finally had an opportunity of their own, when Kyrgiakos met Steven Gerrard's corner but, standing at the far post, Andy Wilkinson flicked the ball away to safety.

Skrtel's words were looking more and more hollow as Huth jumped highest to head on another Delap throw, with former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, who famously turned down a move to Real Madrid due to personal terms, failing to make contact with a swipe that would surely have turned the ball in at the far post.

Liverpool were struggling to develop possession in the opponent's half but Gerrard had a 25-yard drive turned wide by Asmir Begovic before Raul Meireles also tested the goalkeeper twice from long range.

When Lucas surrendered possession in midfield, Liverpool were grateful to Jamie Carragher for turning a cross from Jones wide with Etherington attempting to scramble the ball over the line.

Jones out-jumped Skrtel to a Danny Collins cross but failed to trouble Reina, who demonstrated his growing frustration by shoving Fuller.

A rare spell of Liverpool pressure was not enough for the visitors to get the ball through to Fernando Torres and after Meireles was crowded out, Gerrard missed from well outside the area once again.

Reina was starting to look more comfortable and grabbed yet another Delap throw with plenty of authority just before the interval.

Stoke's dominance continued after the restart, with Carragher diverting a free kick away and a Jones flick from Pennant's corner flying dangerously across the Liverpool area.

But a Delap throw finally created the breakthrough 10 minutes after the restart. Jones had an effort blocked, Huth prodded wide to Etherington who restarted the mêlée before Fuller saw one effort come back off Paul Konchesky before he prodded in.

Delap even got on the end of a rebound from one of his own throws to see a drive deflected into the side netting before Rodriguez forced a low save from Begovic after he was picked out in the area by Dirk Kuyt.

Substitute Ryan Babel missed with a wayward effort from long range and Stoke never looked like surrendering their lead.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.