Liverpool 0 - Deportivo La Coruña 0

Liverpool: Kirkland; Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore; Luis García (Pongolle 85'), Xabi Alonso, Hamman, Riise (Kewell 65'); Baros, Cissé (Finnan 77'). 4-4-2.
Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, César, Andrade, Capdevila; Mauro Silva (Scaloni 59'), Duscher; Víctor, Valerón (Fran 87'), Luque; Pandiani (Romero 82'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals: None.

A battling performance by Deportivo La Coruña, who came away from Anfield with a valuable point after drawing 0-0 with Rafa Benítez's Liverpool. It was a match of old acquaintances, with the English side lining up with Spaniards Xabi Alonso, Luis García and Josemi in the starting eleven, and Irureta including Mauro Silva, Víctor and Luque in his side after resting them at the weekend.

Only a solid display by the Depor defence kept the scores level at the break though, with Molina saving from Cissé and tipping an effort from Luis García over the bar when the ex Barcelona forward broke clear. Manuel Pablo also made a couple of incredible tackles, first of all doing enough for Cissé to shoot wide and then closing down Barros when he got free in front of goal. César could have put the Galicians in front though before the break when his header was cleared off the line by Riise with the keeper beaten.

It was more of the same after the restart, with Barros shooting in to the side netting, and Depor received a serious blow when Mauro Silva was carried off on a stretcher. Valerón just failed to get on the end of a long cross, but otherwise it was all Liverpool, with substitute Kewell creating havoc in the Depor defence. The Australian midfielder set up Cissé for him to fire another shot at Molina, and tested the keepr himself later on. But Depor held on for only their second point of the league stage, which although keeping them bottom of the table without a goal to their name, does give them hope for the easier second half of the campaign. Don't rule them out just yet.