All four of the Liverpool players sent to a Belgrade clinic for unorthodox treatment in an attempt to have them ready for this key Premier League clash with Manchester City failed to make the starting line-up.
Glen Johnson was not even on the substitutes’ bench, where Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera and Fabio Aurelio were named to start.
Liverpool had Steven Gerrard, Ryan Babel and Jamie Carragher – the later after a ban – returning from the side that drew with Birmingham last time out.
Manchester City made one change from the side that were held at home by Burnley a fortnight ago, Nigel De Jong coming into the side in place of Carlos Tevez, who was a substitute.
The failure of Johnson to even make the 18 meant that Carragher was again at right-back, while young French forward David Ngog was again asked to fill the boots of Fernando Torres up front.
Liverpool started well, Gerrard attacking the right-flank of City’s defence when the opportunity arose.
The first chance came after five minutes from a free-kick following a Gareth Barry foul on Dirk Kuyt.
Gerrard swung the set-piece in from the right, Daniel Agger flicked on and centre-back partner Martin Skrtel saw a free header from the left brilliantly saved by Shay given.
Agger, though, was injured in the incident, clashing heads with Kolo Toure. The young Dane’s legs buckled under him as he was receiving treatment and he was carried off suffering from concussion.
Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos was soon on as substitute, a reshuffle Liverpool did not need against the pace of Emmanuel Adebayor.
Jose Reina then had to make a plunging save to his left to turn away a Barry header.
Then Babel was hurt in a collision with De Jong and Gerrard, and needed treatment on the line. Carragher was then booked after 17 minutes for a foul on Craig Bellamy.
Babel lasted only a couple more minutes before limping off to be replaced by Benayoun, Liverpool having suffered two more injury problems in the first 18 minutes.
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