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LIVERPOOL, England: Steven Gerrard's controversial penalty earned Liverpool a 2-2 Premier League draw with Birmingham City at Anfield on Monday after the visitors had earlier fought back to take the lead.
Gerrard, who came off the bench following a groin problem, rescued a point from the penalty spot after David Ngog went down under Lee Carsley's challenge in the penalty area, with the furious Blues insisting the striker had dived.
But the Reds remain seventh in the table with manager Rafael Benitez still facing intense pressure.
Newly-promoted Birmingham had led at the break after goals from Christian Benitez and Cameron Jerome cancelled out Ngog's opener.
The Reds went into the game on the back of six defeats in eight matches but Ngog looked to have set them on their way to victory with his early effort.
But Ecuador international Benitez pulled Birmingham level with a close-range header - his first goal in English football - before Jerome gave the visitors a shock lead with a superb strike.
With Gerrard only being on the bench and Fernando Torres not making the squad, it was City who were the first to threaten with Lee Bowyer's shot flying over the bar.
Soon though Liverpool's possession started to tell with Glen Johnson playing Yossi Benayoun in behind in the defence only for goalkeeper Joe Hart to gather after a scramble.
And then Dirk Kuyt's pass found Ngog and the young Frenchman's stab at goal was held by Hart.
However, 12 minutes in, and despite two fine Hart saves, Liverpool took the lead.
The on-loan Manchester City man saved from Ngog and Kuyt before Albert Riera lobbed back into the area and Ngog fired in a powerful left-foot volley.
But midway through the first half, Birmingham drew level from a simple free-kick knocked into the area.
James McFadden floated the ball in and Roger Johnson and Scott Dann both won headers before Benitez headed past Jose Reina from close range.
Hart pulled off another fine save just after the half hour when he pushed Javier Mascherano's long-range effort just over the bar.
Riera summed up Liverpool's frustration as he cut in from the right flank and hit a drive high into the stand.
But just before the interval, Jerome slipped the ball through and Benitez went around Reina only to send his shot wide of goal.
Riera limped off to be replaced by Gerrard in the final stages of the opening period but it was the visitors that took a shock lead.
And after two minutes of added time Jerome thumped in Birmingham's second from 30 yards after latching on to Dann's headed clearance.
Kuyt drove well over the bar from a narrow angle and Insua also failed to hit the target from distance as the hosts grew ever more desperate.
And Gerrard almost made a dramatic impact, meeting Johnson's cross only for his header to glance the outside of the post.
But he made no mistake when a better chance came along after Ngog went down under Carsley's challenge.
Gerrard shrugged off the tension and beat Hart from the spot to equalise for Liverpool.
Ngog almost stole a winner with a near-post effort from Gerrard's cross but failed to hit the target from close range before his captain lobbed over from the edge of the area. - AFP/de
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