Martin Skrtel turned hero, then villain, in a see-saw battle which saw Liverpool held 2-2 by English Premier League champions Manchester City at Anfield.
A much-improved performance from Liverpool saw the home side take the lead from a corner; Skrtel planting a thumping header into the back of the net in the 34th minute.
City came back into the match in the second half, when their perennial savior Yaya Toure struck the equaliser, after the ball cannoned off Martin Kelly onto the City midfielder's path, six yards out the 63rd minute.
However, Liverpool were back in the lead three minutes later, Luis Suarez curling a wonderful freekick around the wall, giving City goalkeeper Joe Hart no chance, although the placing of the wall by Hart will be brought into question. Liverpool were playing the better football in the match and it looked like Brendan Rodgers was going to get his first win in his first Premier League home game at Anfield, but a calamitous error from Skrtel, with ten minutes to go, put paid to those hopes.
Under no real pressure, Skrtel blindly played a backpass to the goalkeeper Pepe Reina; however, with Carlos Tevez lurking, the Argentine quickly latched onto the ball, before Reina could even come close, before slotting it past the goalkeeper to ensure City went home with at least a point.
"I thought the best team didn't win," Rodgers said after the match. "I thought we were outstanding against a top side, the champions.
"Once we managed the first five or 10 minutes, tactically the players were terrific. We're disappointed not to win the game but there were a lot of young players giving us great hope for the future.
"The fight and the quality we played with today -- and the atmosphere -- was incredible."
Joe Allen, playing his first game for Liverpool at Anfield, was the best player for the Reds and along with another youngster Raheem Sterling, showed Liverpool the way against a tough City side.
"I think the Liverpool supporters will enjoy watching this kid (Allen) play football," Rodgers said. "He is five foot six, but in terms of a footballer he is seven foot six.
"He is absolutely immense, his courage to get on the ball, his body work, his football intelligence is fantastic.
"We paid £15million for him and I said when he came in, very quickly that price will double. He will play here for many years and the supporters will love this kid."
City manager Roberto Mancini was happy to pick up a point. "I said before the game that this game would be very difficult, but we gave a very good performance," he said.
"We started well and had four or five chances to score but after we conceded the first goal, something changed.
"We lost two goals from free-kicks, so I think we need to improve. The wall should stop that (second) goal - they slept!"
