Liverpool 2-1 QPR
A great penalty save from Rob Green was rendered pointless in every sense as Rangers edged closer to the drop.
The keeper’s dive to his left made Steven Gerrard miserable - but only for a brief moment.
Three minutes before the end, the Kop hero climbed highest to head home and leave Rs joy in tatters.
Just as bad, Rangers lost Nedum Onuoha to a second red card eight minutes from the end for a second bookable offence.
It looked a lot rosier just before the defender’s dismissal.
Leroy Fer’s first goal since he was laid low for two months through injury breathed life into Hoops.
Liverpool native son Joey Barton delivered the corner and the Dutchman was there to hook home from six yards
Matt Phillips thought his pea-roller of a corner had given Rs a lead inside the first minute – but the ball had crossed the deadball line before coming back into play.
Gerrard started the day badly when he earned a yellow card for a foul on Fer.
But a low cross from the right was allowed to bypass the entire defence. Phillippe Coutinho had time to stop the ball, take a step inside and curl right-footed way beyond Green’s reach.
Gerrard’s free-kick that was brilliantly saved by Green towards the end of the half.
Rs lived dangerously on 54 minutes when Jordan Henderson’s low centre from the right again bypassed Reds and Hoops all in a row until it reached Raheem Sterling at the back post.
How the ex-Ranger missed only he will know. But miss he did to hoist the ball high into the Kop.
Fer didn’t, nor did Green when it mattered, and for a moment all things looked possible. Gerrard's header, and results from elsewhere were as joyless as the Anfield leaden skies and a cold wind that blew no west Londoner any good.
Rs, 4-1-3-2: Green; Onuoha, Caulker (Yun 46), Dunne, Hill; Henry (Zamora 71); Phillips, Barton, Sandro; Fer, Austin, subs not used; McCarthy, Wright-Phillips, Isla, Kranjcar, Hoilett, Grego-Cox
