Hull 0 - 0 Liverpool

This is Liverpools' last match of a DISSAPOINTING season. Hull and Liverpool closed out hugely disappointing campaigns with a forgettable draw at the KC Stadium.
Alberto Aquilani hit the bar from close range for the visitors in the first half and Steven Gerrard slammed a shot against the upright late on.
The lively Mark Cullen wasted Hull's best chance with a header just wide.
The result meant Liverpool finished seventh, their worst since 1999, while Hull end their two-year spell in the Premier League down in 19th place.
It was miserable fare for both sets of fans, but they will be far more concerned with the future of their respective managers - and key players - after such poor campaigns.
Benitez - My future is still not decided
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has insisted neither Fernando Torres nor captain Gerrard need to be sold to ease the club's mounting debts but question marks still remain over the future of boss Rafael Benitez, with Juventus persistently touted as a possible new club for the Spaniard. A season without Champions League football next season may feel like the end of the world to some Liverpool supporters but Hull's situation offers a touch of reality.
With debts of £35m and the threat of administration hanging over the club, Hull must now prepare for Championship football once again.
Whether or not Iain Dowie is still in charge of the team next season remains to be seen, but Hull can certainly take the positives out of a battling final-day display and particularly the performances of youngsters Tom Cairney, Mark Cullen and Will Atkinson.
Liverpool enjoyed a promising start with Nabil El Zhar, making his first start of the season for the Reds, forcing Matt Duke into a fine one-handed before George Boateng headed a Dirk Kuyt shot off the line.
Aquilani placed a shot just wide after an overhead ball from Ryan Babel was only half-cleared but Hull did create a chance of their own when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink bulldozed through the Liverpool defence before heading straight at Pepe Reina.
Cullen, who scored his first Hull goal against Wigan on Monday, looked sharp again up front but wasted two golden opportunities to give his side the lead.
Firstly the youngster got the ball tangled up in his feet when through on goal and he then planted a header wide after a teasing cross from Atkinson.
A promising start from Liverpool had quickly faded and Benitez's glum mood was not helped on the stroke of half-time when Aquiliani hammered against the bar before Daniel Agger sliced his follow-up effort towards the corner flag.
City also went close to going ahead moments after the break when a curling cross from the excellent Bernard Mendy only just eluded Vennegoor of Hesselink and an onrushing Cullen at the back post.
Cairney continued to work tirelessly in central midfield following the restart, often showing up Gerrard and Javier Mascherano, but Hull were unable to turn their industry into chances.
Liverpool brought on youth team star Jack Robinson, aged just 16 and eight months, who became the club's youngster-ever first-team player but they failed to find a way through.
A powerful drive from Gerrard which cannoned against the post late on was by far their best chance in the second half, while Cullen had Hull's final effort, powering a shot just over the bar.
Tigers chairman Adam Pearson and owner Russell Bartlett will now sit down to decide Dowie's fate while Benitez is also set for further talks with chairman Broughton on Wednesday.
The season may be over but the drama is likely to continue at both clubs for many weeks to come.

Liverpool 0 - 2 Chelsea

Chelsea moved to the brink of the Premier League title as they cruised to a comfortable victory against Liverpool at Anfield.
Carlo Ancelotti's side must beat Wigan at home on the final day of the season to guarantee the crown, following Manchester United's later 1-0 win at Sunderland.
After a slow start at Anfield, they were put on the path towards the title by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who gifted Didier Drogba the opening goal after 33 minutes with a dreadful backpass that left the striker with an easy job of scoring in front of The Kop.
Ancelloti stays cool on Premier League title
The goal, and the manner in which it was conceded, ended Liverpool's fleeting resistance and Chelsea cantered to victory.
Frank Lampard added the second from Nicolas Anelka's cross nine minutes after the interval, with only Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina preventing a more emphatic victory margin.
Much had been made of the potentially unpalatable prospect - for Liverpool fans at least - of a victory for their team opening the door for United to eclipse the Anfield club's tally of 18 titles. But suggestions that Rafael Benitez's side would stand aside to avoid this eventuality proved incorrect.
Liverpool were not betrayed by a lack of effort, it was a lack of energy after playing through 120 minutes against Atletico Madrid on Thursday to no avail that was part of their downfall. And more crucially, in a condemnation of a managerial reign that may well be coming to a close, it was a lack of quality and squad strength assembled by Benitez that was brutally exposed by Chelsea.
Lampard claims Chelsea have the momentum
As Chelsea ruthlessly closed in on the points, Liverpool saw their last faint hopes of Champions League football extinguished with one game left of a season that started with so much optimism but is ending awash with uncertainty surrounding the future of Benitez, and the ownership of the club.
Benitez joined Liverpool's squad and their families as they made their way around Anfield as a "thank you" to their supporters after the final whistle - but the response to the manager was relatively muted and there is a growing sense that this is likely to turn out to be his final game at Anfield in charge after a six-year reign.
In contrast to Liverpool's despair, Chelsea know the title is almost in their grasp - with the possibility of clinching an historic double with the FA Cup final against Portsmouth still to come.
Benitez resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes after Liverpool's Europa League exit. Injured Glen Johnson was replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos, while Maxi Rodriguez, ineligible against Atletico, came in for Ryan Babel.
Lampard was just off target from long-range inside the first minute, but Liverpool emerged as the better side in what was admittedly a desperately mediocre opening half hour.
Expectations for season too high - Benitez
Alberto Aquilani came closest in that spell with a drive from outside the penalty area that glanced off the bar with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech beaten.
As the opening half threatened to drift aimlessly to its conclusion, a shocking error from Gerrard presented Chelsea with a lead their lacklustre efforts barely deserved. Under no pressure, Liverpool's captain sent a backpass straight to Drogba, who could barely believe his luck as he rounded Reina to score in an unguarded net.
Chelsea believed they should have had the opportunity to double their advantage in the dying moments of the half when Salomon Kalou fell as he raced into the box accompanied by Lucas. Referee Alan Wiley appeared to put the whistle his lips in readiness to award a penalty, but then waved away Chelsea's claims.
Ancelotti's side started with real purpose after the break, with Anelka somehow failing to convert Kalou's cross from almost on the goalline - but they did not have to wait long for the goal their fans clearly believed clinched the title.
Anelka made amends for his earlier miss by beating Liverpool's attempts to play the offside trap before crossing for Lampard to slide in a simple finish.
The fight visibly drained out of Liverpool, who had to replace the injured Jamie Carragher with Daniel Ayala, and Reina had to produce an outstanding save low to his left to turn away Florent Malouda's volley.
Reina was keeping the score within respectable proportions for a Liverpool side who had barely raised a gallop after Drogba's goal, and he was forced to save twice from Anelka in the space of seconds as Chelsea went in for the kill.
All that was left was for Chelsea to play out time without any mishaps - which they were able to do without alarm as they moved to the brink of reclaiming the Premier League that they last won in 2006.

Burnley 0 - 4 Liverpool

Steven Gerrard's second-half brace and further goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Ryan Babel relegated Burnley and kept Liverpool's top-four hopes alive.
Gerrard's first deflected off Burnley defender Leon Cort past Brian Jensen but his second was a fine first-time curling strike from 25-yards out.
Steven Fletcher later hit the post for Burnley with a left-footed half-volley.
Rodriguez fired home from 12-yards after Alberto Aquilani's pass and Ryan Babel beat Jensen when one on one.
The win left Burnley on 27 points, seven points behind West Ham with two matches left to play, while Liverpool remain in seventh but close the gap on fourth-placed Tottenham to two points, though having played a game more.
The victory was Liverpool's first away from Anfield in the league this year and could yet help them seal Champions League football for next season.
With Tottenham losing to Manchester United and Manchester City drawing with Arsenal on Saturday, Liverpool knew they had a great opportunity to close the gap on the teams above them.
Burnley's task was more simple, anything other than a victory would consign them to relegation after just one season in the Premier League.
Liverpool enjoyed the majority of the early possession, but despite a string of Gerrard corners they failed to create one decent chance, with Babel's screwed shot from 20-yards the only real effort of note.
Too often they gave the ball away, more through their own carelessness than Burnley pressure, leading to a disjointed and scrappy game which suited the Clarets.
Laws looks to bounce back from relegation
It took half an hour for the first shot on target and it came from Liverpool's talisman, Gerrard.
Having burst into the box the ball found his path but after a neat swivel and strike from 12-yards, his half half-volley was comfortably saved by Jensen.
Burnley were full of endeavour with Fletcher heading Martin Paterson's right-wing cross from close range over the bar.
More home pressure followed and just before the break an unmarked Jack Cork, on-loan from Chelsea, should have done better when heading Tyrone Mears' right-wing cross straight at Pepe Reina who made a low save.
At the other end, Babel side footed tamely at Jensen when he found himself unmarked at the back post having broken the offside trap.
Liverpool were forced into an early change just after the break with striker Dirk Kuyt, who had been a solitary figure up front, was replaced by Yossi Benayoun.
Soon after, Mears' 20-yard free-kick was well saved by Reina as Burnley's attempts to break the deadlock gained momentum.
But it was Liverpool who got the first goal of the game and, unsurprisingly, it came from Gerrard.
Liverpool's captain played a neat one-two with Benayoun and having cut inside his man he unleashed a right-footed strike from 20-yards which took a huge deflection off Cort before flying past the wrong-footed Jensen and into the corner of the net.
Moments later Gerrard doubled Liverpool's lead with a sublime strike as Burnley's task became that much harder.
Gerrard latched on to Aquilani's knockdown and unleashed a fierce first-time right-footed curling shot from 25-yards which flew into the left-hand corner of Jensen's goal.
Benitez still chasing fourth spot
Soon after, Nugent tested Reina but his low shot was too tame to beat the Liverpool keeper.
Fletcher's neat turn and shot from the edge of the area was well saved by Reina while at the other end Rodriguez forced a decent stop from Jensen at the foot of his near post.
Fletcher was back in the action again and after controlling a long ball on his chest he was unlucky to see his 12-yard half-volley fly past Reina but bounce back off the post.
Burnley continued to press but Liverpool were that much more clinical and Aquilani's pass superbly opened up the Burnley defence for Maxi to fire right-footed across Jensen into the far corner of the net from 12-yards for 3-0.
And late on there was time for one more with substitute Lucas playing in Babel who beat the offside trap and found himself one on one with Jensen and the Dutchman made no mistake in firing past the Burnley keeper to seal the victory and Burnley's relegation.

Liverpool 3 - 0 West Ham

Liverpool moved back into sixth place after an emphatic win over West Ham, who remain one place above the relegation zone.
Yossi Benayoun put them ahead in unusual fashion, diverting a Steven Gerrard cross in off his stomach.
David Ngog added a second with a fiercely struck snap shot from a Maxi Rodriguez cross as the Reds dominated.
After the break a Sotiros Kyrgiakos header came back off a post and in off the leg of Hammers keeper Robert Green.
It was a wretched display from West Ham, who have not won at Anfield for 47 years and may not have the chance to play there next season if their fortunes do not improve, having succumbed to their seventh defeat in the last nine games.
They now face a critical home fixture with Wigan on Saturday mindful of awkward closing games away to Fulham and home to Champions League-chasing Manchester City.
Liverpool, who plan to set off for Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday lunchtime because of the volcanic ash saga, are now a point clear of Aston Villa having played a game more.
They have a home match with Chelsea either side of winnable away trips to Burnley and Hull.
With both sides having plenty to play for the opening exchanges were remarkably tame, anguished cries from the players were often audible on the rare occasions when West Ham's vociferous 1,500 travelling contingent were not making themselves heard.
Benayoun teed up an early chance for Rodriguez but his shot was easily saved by Green.
The Hammers enjoyed some comfortable early possession in midfield but posed little direct threat and the kind of cunning invention typified by their manager Gianfranco Zola as a player.
Benayoun ghosted between the defenders and was completely free on the edge of the six-yard box as Gerrard's free-kick from the right-hand touchline bounced just in front of him.
The industrious Israeli diverted the ball in off the post with his stomach, carefully keeping his hands out of the way, despite appeals to the contrary from West Ham defenders.
More atrocious defending from the visitors gave Liverpool another golden opportunity, but from inside the six-yard box Kyrgiakos somehow headed a right-wing Gerrard corner into the ground and the ball bounced over.
It did not prove at all critical as with the move of the match Liverpool doubled their lead shortly before the half-hour.
Benayoun's quick pass found Rodriguez on the right and his first time cross was met instantly on the half-volley by Ngog, whose shot was too fierce for Green to keep out, even though the England goalkeeper got a hand to the ball.
The remainder of the match was merely a procession for Liverpool, who might conceivably have had three penalties - two for handball and one for a foul on Ngog.
West Ham, badly missing the purpose of the suspended Scott Parker, introduced Guillermo Franco at half-time but Liverpool extended their advantage as another teasing Gerrard free-kick, this time from the left, caused more distress in the visiting defence.
Kyrgiakos met the ball from close range and West Ham's misfortune was summed up when it rebounded off a post on to the back of Green's leg and into the net.
Liverpool could even afford to take off Gerrard, Benayoun and Ngog to allow them a rest ahead of Thursday, while West Ham suffered even greater misery when Carlton Cole went off with a knee injury.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez:
"We have to keep doing our job. It will be more difficult now [to qualify for the Champions League because Tottenham won [against Chelsea], normally you would not expect them to win.
"But we have to be in a good position if they make a mistake.
"West Ham started the game pushing but as soon as we scored the first goal it was easier, we had more chances and we scored the second goal and the third one killed the game."
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:
"We started well. We were quite comfortable on the pitch. We suffered on dead balls - normally we are very good defending against them but not today.
"The first goal was a killer, I felt we were on top of the game.
"The second was a distraction, that was a killer. After 2-0 it was difficult for us.
"In the second half we tried to have a go and press them hard but they scored on a dead ball."

Liverpool 0-0 Fulham

Our hopes of qualifying for Champions League next season seems gone. We really missed Torres absence. Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took another huge blow as they failed to break down resolute Fulham despite dominating possession.
Alberto Aquilani fashioned Liverpool's best chances but found Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer in inspired form.
The Australian thwarted Aquilani's early overhead kick and palmed away the Italian's curling 20-yard effort.
And Schwarzer was again equal to Ryan Babel's fierce strike as Fulham defended deep and frustrated Liverpool.
This game could have been a dress rehearsal for the Europa League final in Hamburg - if Liverpool and Fulham are able to overcome their respective semi-final opponents.
But if that is the case, the neutral will hope for a far less one-sided affair - as Liverpool attacked relentlessly but lacked the necessary guile to open the scoring.
Rafael Benitez's Liverpool side will take on Atletico Madrid after overcoming Benfica 4-1 at Anfield to win 5-3 on aggregate, while Fulham won 1-0 at German champions Wolfsburg for a 3-1 aggregate victory and will face Hamburg in their last-four encounter.
But, there were no signs that Liverpool were feeling the effects of their exertions in the week as they started brightly with chances falling to David Ngog, Maxi Rodriguez and Aquilani.
The home side had received an attacking blow prior to kick-off when talismanic 22-goal striker Fernando Torres was ruled out with a knee injury.
And Liverpool missed the Spanish international's cutting edge as they dominated, Ngog lashing a half-chance high and wide after being put through by Javier Mascherano early on.
Benitez admits defeat in race for fourth
Liverpool found joy down the flanks and an inventive piece of play by Aquilani almost brought the opening goal.
Glen Johnson's cross was headed back across goal by Steven Gerrard and Aquilani, with his back to goal, teed himself up an overhead kick but the shot flew straight into the hands of Schwarzer.
Seconds later Maxi was set loose in the box but he fired into the feet of the impressive Fulham stopper.
Schwarzer was again tested by Mascherano, who found space 25 yards out and looped a vicious half-volley towards goal which the keeper just managed to palm away to his right, as Liverpool threatened to run riot.
Hodgson delighted with Fulham persistence
Despite their stunning form in Europe, Fulham have not won on the road in the Premier League since the opening day of the season and their lack of attacking intent at Anfield gave an inkling as to why.
A double chance for Aquilani at the start of the second half suggested the second period would again be dominated by the home side.
First the Italy international's curled effort from 20 yards was touched over the bar by Schwarzer, before Aquilani drove a left-footed effort wide.
Fulham continued to defend deep and invite Liverpool on to them and Babel took the opportunity to test Schwarzer again with a fierce low drive which was pushed around the near post.
It began to feel like it would not be Liverpool's day when Greece defencer Sotirios Kyrgiakos headed over the bar when he really should have done better from five yards out after being set up by Dirk Kuyt.
And as the seconds ticked by Liverpool could not find the urgency or ingenuity to carve open the robust Fulham defence leaving the Anfield crowd frustrated and having to contemplate next season without Champions League football.
The result may also mean that if these two sides do meet again this season it would represent Liverpool's best chance of taking something out of a disappointing campaign.

Birmingham 1 - 1 Liverpool

Frankly this is one of the dissapointing Liverpool performance that i had watched so far. No hunger to win possesion of the ball and no passion to win the game especially in the first half!
Liverpool's hopes of securing fourth spot and Champions League qualification suffered a big blow after a lacklustre draw at Birmingham.
In a dour first half, Maxi Rodriguez hit the bar for the Reds, while Roger Johnson headed over at the other end.
Liverpool took the lead when Steven Gerrard turned Lee Bowyer to curl in after Glen Johnson's mis-hit pass.
Birmingham hit back as Liam Ridgewell bundled in James McFadden's cross and survived three late David Ngog chances.
Starting the day five points adrift of fourth spot, a win for Liverpool was a must, but instead they relinquished a lead, no doubt to the delight of closest rivals Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
With an eye on Thursday's Europa League tie with Benfica, Reds boss Rafael Benitez opted to rest Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger and bring in Yossi Benayoun and Sotiros Kyrgiakos.
It was a risky strategy against a team riding high in ninth spot and unbeaten at St Andrew's since September and Liverpool, again using Fernando Torres as a lone striker, seemed short of ideas and drive in the opening exchanges.
Their best efforts in the first half-hour were timid shots from Dirk Kuyt and Torres, while at the other end of a very sticky pitch, the skill of McFadden, making his 200th club career start, proved a regular nuisance for the visitors' defence.
As the interval approached, the game finally woke from its slumbers with both teams having their best opportunities to break the deadlock.
Benitez defends substituting "exhausted" Torres
On the back of a swift four-man move, Torres curled the ball into Maxi eight yards out, but the Argentine could only crash his shot against the bar.
Desperate to pick up their first win in five league games, Birmingham's tempo also increased and after an inswinging McFadden corner, Johnson headed just over as keeper Pepe Reina flapped uncharacteristically.
Liverpool's slowly increasing pressure paid off just after the break, when Johnson mis-hit a shot over to Gerrard on the left, and he turned Bowyer inside out to curl a fine shot inside the far post.
The stage was there for Liverpool to dominate and boost their hopes of Champions League qualification, but instead the lead lasted just eight minutes and it was all down to the continuing tricks of McFadden.
The Scottish midfielder tip-toed around three defenders and curled in a delightful ball to the back post for the unmarked Ridgewell to bundle the ball in with his thigh.
Benitez reacted by bringing on Ngog for Torres, who walked off the pitch seemingly perplexed at his manager's decision, while Gerrard also appeared to be a little confused.
However the substitution introduced new venom to the Liverpool attack and Ngog, the striker who won a controversial penalty against Birmingham in November, went close twice with a header and shot.
The second half was proving to be a much livelier affair and Birmingham's scorer almost turned provider as Ridgewell crossed into Bowyer from the left but the unmarked midfielder fluffed his volley.
Liverpool dictated proceedings in the final 15 minutes and should have scored a winner from one of their hatful of chances.
Maxi blasted the ball straight at his own player Alberto Aquilani, while Gerrard shot over from the edge of the box.
The England midfielder looked desperate to secure the three points and he set up Maxi with a stunning through-ball but the Argentine wasted his shot.
Benitez's record of his team not beating Birmingham extends to eight games but the Spaniard's thoughts will now move towards Benfica as hopes of qualifying for the Champions League perhaps begin to fade.

Man Utd 2 - 1 Liverpool

Manchester United came from behind to beat Liverpool at Old Trafford to return to the Premier League summit.
Fernando Torres was United's tormentor again as he rose to head in Dirk Kuyt's cross after only five minutes to revive memories of Liverpool's crushing 4-1 victory here last season - but United were to exact revenge on their arch-rivals.
Liverpool were furious when United were handed the opportunity to draw level swiftly as referee Howard Webb awarded a penalty as the outstanding Antonio Valencia was hauled back by Javier Mascherano as the pair raced into the area.
Wayne Rooney was unsettled by Liverpool's lengthy and vociferous protests, but when his penalty was saved by keeper Pepe Reina he was first to react and turn in the rebound.
United then held sway and snatched a deserved winner on the hour when Darren Fletcher's cross deep into the heart of the Liverpool penalty area was headed in by Ji-Sung Park.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, who confronted fourth official Andre Marriner and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson after Rooney's equaliser, was infuriated by the penalty award - and was also animated throughout by what he clearly regarded as a succession of contentious decisions that he believed went in the home side's favour.
Goalscorer Torres led Liverpool's other complaints against officialdom, and he became increasingly frustrated at virtually having to battle single-handedly against Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, who ended an unwanted record of three dismissals in his last three games against the Merseysiders.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was desperately disappointing, although he created a late opportunity which Torres missed. Yossi Benayoun should have done better than head the loose ball tamely at Edwin van der Sar.
Ferguson will have regarded this as one of the most difficult tests of United's title run-in, and his succession of clenched-fist salutes at the final whistle demonstrated his delight.
For Liverpool counterpart Benitez, he watched his side fade badly as they lost further ground in the battle for fourth spot and a place in next season's Champions League.
Ferguson and Benitez made a single change each to their teams, with Park replacing Dimitar Berbatov for United and Maxi Rodriguez coming in for Ryan Babel in the Liverpool line-up.
United's boss insisted they had learned the lessons of being terrorised by Torres last season - but apparently not well enough as the Spain striker quickly emphasised his class.
Gerrard released Kuyt on the right, leaving Torres to escape from Vidic and Ferdinand to plant a firm header beyond the reach of Van der Sar.
United were level seven minutes later in contentious circumstances, following referee Webb's decision to award a penalty after Valencia tangled with Mascherano. It was a foul, but Liverpool felt the infringement started outside the area and chaotic scenes ensued.
As Liverpool boss Benitez raged on the touchline, Torres kicked away the penalty spot markings in fury as Rooney complained about the delay.
Liverpool keeper Reina blocked Rooney's spot-kick, but the rebound fell kindly for the England striker to slot home into an empty net.
Ferguson and Benitez were then involved in an angry exchange almost nose-to-nose in the technical area, with fourth official Marriner in between the pair in an attempt to keep the peace.
Valencia was United's main source of danger as he tormented Emiliano Insua down the right flank, and his cross almost created a second for Park as he headed just wide with Reina scrambling across his goal.
Torres, in particular, appeared aggrieved by what Liverpool saw as a grave injustice and he took his frustration out on Park to earn an overdue yellow card, his fifth in seven games.
Reina was tested twice by Nani's shot and a Rooney free-kick from the edge of the area before the interval, but the game had settled after an explosive opening.
The sparring continued in the early stages after half-time, but United managed to pierce the massed ranks of Liverpool's defence to take the lead after an hour. Fletcher was the creator with a perfect cross from the right flank, and Park bravely hurled himself in front of Johnson to head beyond Reina.
Rooney had been hugely industrious in his efforts to ensure United's victory, and he was almost on the scoresheet again with four minutes left, but he pulled a low shot just wide.
Liverpool had barely troubled United in the second half, but with only a minute remaining of normal time they conspired to waste a wonderful chance to snatch a point.
Gerrard, an anonymous figure until then, set up Torres with a cross. He mis-hit his shot, but it lofted invitingly into the path of Benayoun, who headed straight at Van der Sar from only six yards.
United were then able to play out five minutes of stoppage time - and the celebrations from players and fans at the final whistle illustrated just how vital this victory was to the champions.

Liverpool 4 - 1 Portsmouth

Liverpool thumped struggling Portsmouth to stay in touch with the teams chasing fourth place in the Premier League.
Three goals in six first-half minutes virtually ended the game as a contest, with Fernando Torres slotting home the opener after Jamie Ashdown's mistake.
Ryan Babel toe-poked home the second, with Alberto Aquilani sweeping in the third for his first Liverpool goal.
Ashdown kept the score down after the break, before Torres netted again, with Nadir Belhadj tapping in for Pompey.
The win moved Liverpool into fifth on 51 points from 30 games, a point behind Tottenham, who have played a game less than Rafa Benitez's side.
Manchester City are in sixth on 50 points having played two games less than Liverpool, with Aston Villa on 46 points from 27 games.
This was one of Liverpool's more fluid performances in a desperately disappointing season, with Aquilani playing a pivotal role in only his fifth start of the league campaign.
The former Roma midfielder did not make his debut until the end of October because of injury and has struggled to establish himself in the first team with Benitez seemingly reluctant to trust his big-money signing.
But Aquilani looked to have recovered some of the swagger that persuaded Liverpool to pay Roma £20m to bring him to Anfield in the summer, linking up the midfield and attack with some slick movement and passing - and a well-taken goal.
Early in the second half Aquilani was at the fulcrum of two sweeping Liverpool moves that ended with Ashdown denying Gerrard and then tipping over Babel's shot.
Bottom-of the-table Portsmouth have won just five games this season - one of those victories coming against Liverpool at Fratton Park - and despite making a positive start, Avram Grant's side all but waved the white flag once Torres put the home side ahead.
Portsmouth keeper Ashdown was playing for only the fourth time of the season and he was seriously at fault for the first goal.
Gerrard chased down Ricardo Rocha's pass to Ashdown and managed to block the Pompey keeper's clearance with the ball ricocheting to Maxi Rodriguez.
The Argentine quickly moved the ball across goal to Torres, who had the simplest job in sidefooting home.
That goal came on 26 minutes and by the 32nd minute Liverpool were 3-0 up.
Torres bamboozled former Liverpool defender Steve Finnan before teeing up Babel, who steered the ball into the corner of the net.
The Spaniard was also involved in Liverpool's third, combining with Gerrard to create space for Aquilani to sweep the ball past Ashdown.
Liverpool were rampant with Torres tormenting Finnan again before curling the ball against the post.
Chances were few and far between for Portsmouth, though Frederic Piquionne was a willing runner in attack, while Michael Brown drew a fine save from Pepe Reina early in the second half. With Liverpool in total control Rafa Benitez withdrew Glen Johnson and Gerrard, who came off after a spat with Brown.
The Portsmouth midfielder was furious after the Liverpool midfielder's appeared to hit him on the back of the head with his forearm as the two players were running at full pelt.
On 77 minutes Torres bagged his second, slamming the ball into the corner of net as Rocha and Finnan failed to close the Spaniard down.
In the game's closing stages Piquionne cut the ball for Belhadj to score for Portsmouth.
Liverpool will hope to replicate Monday's goal glut in Thursday's Europa second leg tie with Lille as they seek to reach the competition's quarter-finals, while they are likely to face a stiffer challenge than that offered by Pompey when they face Manchester United in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

Wigan 1 - 0 Liverpool

Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League suffered a major setback as struggling Wigan punished an insipid display by Rafa Benitez's side.
The visitors' out-of-sorts performance was summed up four misses by Fernando Torres, who hit the post early on.
A Dirk Kuyt mistake led to Wigan's goal, with Emmerson Boyce then crossing and Hugo Rodallega volleying home.
Charles N'Zogbia almost added a second for Wigan when he broke clear and the home team held on for a deserved win.
N'Zogbia, Rodallega and James McCarthy were outstanding for Roberto Martinez's side as Wigan troubled Liverpool with their pace and no little skill.
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool were well below par and five yellow cards, including bookings for Torres and Steven Gerrard late on, summed up a miserable Monday for the Merseysiders.
They remain just a point behind Tottenham and Manchester City in the race for the top four, but have played 29 games to Spurs' 28 and City's 27, while Aston Villa in seventh are three points behind with three games in hand.
But while Benitez's side need to find form fast as they embark on a run in that includes a trip to Manchester United and an Anfield meeting with Chelsea, Wigan can approach the final games with renewed confidence.
The Latics had won just once in the league in 2010 to fall to within a point of the relegation zone, yet victory saw them climb to 14th with two of their next three games against fellow strugglers Bolton and Burnley.
As both teams came to grips with Wigan's relaid pitch it was Liverpool who started the brighter, their initial attacking strategy to bypass midfield with both Jamie Carragher and Gerrard launching passes to try and release Torres.
That initial spurt of pressure saw Liverpool win a corner with Maxi Rodriguez heading the ball to Torres, but the Spanish striker's volley struck the post.
Having survived that scare, Wigan started to give Liverpool a few things to worry about.
Chief pest to the Liverpool defence was N'Zogbia, who after almost releasing Rodallega with a clever reverse pass, flashed a couple of dangerous crosses across the Liverpool defence.
Symptomatic of Wigan's growing dominance were the yellow cards dished out to Emiliano Insua, Lucas and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
Openings for Liverpool were proving rarer to spot, though Yossi Benayoun's trickery saw him break clear and tee up Gerrard, who was unable to get his shot on target after his initial effort was blocked by Paul Scharner.
Gerrard and Lucas had been guilty of giving the ball away and the next Liverpool player to do so was Kuyt, an error that led to Wigan's opener.
Boyce pounced on Kuyt's mistake and with the outside of his right foot curled in a cross that Rodallega cleverly touched past Pepe Reina.
Just before the break, Torres glimpsed a sight of goal, but under pressure from Gary Caldwell steered his header over the bar.
That chance was created by Rodriguez and soon after the interval the two former Atletico Madrid team-mates were at it again, with the same result - Torres putting the ball over the bar, this time with a shot.
Soon afterwards Benitez introduced Glen Johnson for Lucas, as the England full-back returned to action for the first time since late December.
Rejigged, but not revived, and almost immediately Liverpool suffered another scare when Marcelo Moreno blocked Carragher's clearance and with the ball looping towards the goal Kyrgiakos had to head away from under the bar.
Liverpool might have dominated possession in the second half but Wigan always threatened on the counterattack with N'Zogbia scampering clear and wriggling a shot past Reina, who was relieved when Scharner was unable to force the ball home at the far post.
With a quarter of an hour to go Torres missed his fourth reasonable chance, volleying narrowly wide after Kuyt headed the ball back to him following Insua's cross, one of the rare fluid pieces of Liverpool play.
Torres's night of frustration etched up a notch when he was booked for a poor tackle on Boyce, with Gerrard becoming the fifth Liverpool to be yellow carded for an equally poor challenge on McCarthy.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Blackburn

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres scored as Liverpool won a bad-tempered contest against Blackburn to move to within one point of fourth spot.
Gerrard put Liverpool ahead with a left-foot shot from six yards before Keith Andrews levelled from the spot after a Jamie Carragher handball.
An unmarked Torres slid home from close range to restore Liverpool's lead.
Gerrard and El-Hadji Diouf exchanged heated words before the break while Pepe Reina denied Chris Samba late on.
There is no love lost between Reds boss Rafa Benitez and Rovers counterpart Sam Allardyce - and little that happened on the pitch is likely to lead to any form of reconciliation.
Steven Nzonzi should have been sent off after pushing Lucas in the face and there were a series of thunderous challenges during a fully committed contest that saw Benitez repeatedly complain to the fourth official.
It was far from vintage Liverpool and Rovers can consider themselves unfortunate to have left Anfield pointless.
But the Reds will be pleased to have returned to winning ways having failed to score in their previous two games.
Torres, who has been dogged by groin and knee injuries, was back in the starting XI for the first time since 13 January, and understandably not at his fluent best.
But there was an unmistakeable electricity around the ground every time the Spain striker was in possession.
And the fact that he and Gerrard both found the net ended a sequence of six Premier League games during which Dirk Kuyt had been the only Liverpool player to have scored.
The wait goes on for Allardyce to earn his first win as a manager at Anfield, but there was plenty to suggest from his team's performance that they will climb the table during the remaining weeks of the season.
Blackburn started brightly and created several early chances, with the recalled Samba heading tamely at goal, Martin Olsson narrowly missing from distance and Nikola Kalinic shooting across goal but marginally wide.
Their early dominance perhaps warranted a goal and Rovers can consider themselves extremely unlucky to find themselves trailing after 20 minutes.
A rare period of crisp interplay concluded with a heavy touch from Gerrard that had the effect of catching Samba flat-footed and allowed the Liverpool skipper the time and space to drill the ball beyond Paul Robinson from a tight angle.
Reina twice denied Morten Gamst Pedersen, while Dirk Kuyt headed wide for Liverpool before Rovers equalised from the penalty spot after Carragher was adjudged to have handled while he was led on the floor, preventing Kalinic from collecting the ball.
We need a goalscorer - Sam Allardyce
Reina almost saved the spot-kick but Andrews' effort squirmed under his body.
Liverpool, who had seen the recalled Fabio Aurelio limp off, went into the break with their lead restored after Torres converted Maxi Rodriguez's low cross.
But the final minutes of the half were dominated by a prolonged verbal exchange between Gerrard and former Liverpool forward Diouf that started after Rovers had a second penalty appeal turned down.
The two players had to be separated by a steward as they made their way into the tunnel at the break.
The first dramatic action after the restart involved another unsightly incident as Nzonzi pushed Lucas in the face and was extremely fortunate to escape with a booking.
Actual footballing drama remained at a premium but Daniel Agger headed over from a Gerrard free-kick while an ambitious overhead kick from Kuyt missed the target.
Rovers substitute Vince Grella missed from 20 yards late on before Reina pulled off a sensational injury-time save from Samba's header that had deflected off Kuyt.

Man City 0 - 0 Liverpool

Another goalless draw!! With Aston Villa winning at Burnley, the 4th position is widely open up to 4 teams namely Spurs, Man City, Liverpool and Aston Villa. But Liverpool had played the most number of games currently. Sigh!!!

Let's hope that with the return of Torres from injury will help us in our next few games.

Manchester City and Liverpool played out a miserable stalemate at Eastlands as they battled for fourth place in the Premier League.
Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez have their sights set on a place in next season's Champions League - but this was a wretched advert for their lofty ambitions in an encounter that plumbed the depths for long periods.
Emmanuel Adebayor had City's best opportunities with a shot that was well saved by Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina and a header just off target.
Martin Skrtel headed wide from Liverpool's clearest opening late in the first half, but both teams were so poor that it would have been a travesty had either claimed all three points.
Liverpool could at least point to the return of Fernando Torres, who made a 15-minute appearance as a substitute after knee surgery, but there was little else to provide any cheer amid an Eastlands downpour.
Yossi Benayoun, also back after injury, may have had a penalty had he gone down late on and Liverpool are likely to be the happier with a point.
But a DVD of this desperate encounter should be required viewing for the clubs chasing City and Liverpool for a top-four spot - because it would provide ample encouragement that they can be overhauled.
Liverpool were lifted by Torres' comeback on the bench, while City boss Mancini kept Craig Bellamy as a substitute after a difference of opinion between the pair during the week.
There was not much on offer to excite the pair as the opening 45 minutes produced a wretched spectacle, the lack of quality reflected in the increasingly frustrated mood of the Eastlands gallery.
Liverpool were marginally the better side in the opening exchanges, although keeper Reina offered City rare hope when he hesitated over a clearance, but they were unable to take advantage.
Skrtel wasted the game's best chance on the stroke of half-time when he headed Steven Gerrard's corner wide from six yards. City would have been infuriated to fall behind in such fashion as referee Peter Walton missed a deflection off Skrtel to award the corner to Liverpool.
Draw the right result - Mancini
As a heavy downpour rained down on Eastlands, City opened the second half with greater purpose and Liverpool's Ryan Babel was forced to take a lengthy count after he was struck on the head by a vicious cross from Adam Johnson.
Emmanuel Adebayor almost lifted the gloom on and off the pitch with a long-range effort that Reina did well to save low down by his post.
Benitez made a change after 62 minutes, introducing fit-again Benayoun for the disappointing Maxi Rodriguez as Liverpool pushed for the crucial breakthrough.
Mancini swiftly followed suit, introducing Bellamy for Shaun Wright-Phillips to a huge ovation from City's fans delighted to see the Welshman enter the action.
The mediocrity continued unabated and Liverpool supporters were able to finally greet the return of Torres with 15 minutes left when he came on for Babel, while City took the opportunity to send on Abdisalam Ibrahim for Stephen Ireland.
Adebayor was in position to break the deadlock with 11 minutes left, but he was halted by Skrtel's vital interception - and then headed narrowly over from the resulting corner as a dreadful game drifted to its predictable conclusion.

Arsenal 1 - 0 Liverpool

Arsenal injected new life into their title bid as Abou Diaby's header saw them end a three-game winless sequence with victory over Liverpool.
Both teams struggled for momentum in a dour first half but the game came alive after the interval as David Ngog and Tomas Rosicky went close.
Rosicky blasted over and Diaby then capped a period of Arsenal pressure by powering in from the Czech's cross.
Ryan Babel's drive was tipped on to the bar but Liverpool could not level.
Although Rafael Benitez's men pushed hard to salvage a point, subjecting the Gunners to attack after attack late on, Arsenal held out for what could prove a critical win.
With leaders Chelsea losing at Everton and Manchester United drawing at Aston Villa, Arsene Wenger's side move to within six points of leaders Chelsea and five of Manchester United.
They do not play 'big four' opposition again this season and will feel their campaign is back on track after successive defeats by United and Chelsea.
Serious questions have been asked about Arsenal's credentials to win a first Premier League crown since 2004 but, on this evidence, there is life in them yet.
Liverpool remain fourth in the table but slip eight points behind the Gunners after their first defeat in eight games.
The Reds are still yet to win at the Emirates Stadium but could not have worked harder to come away with something, especially as they flooded forward at the death.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard talked of the need to afford Arsenal as little space as possible and the tactic worked for long periods.
But the hosts were equal to the challenge and, in turn, prevented the visitors from establishing any sort of rhythm until the final quarter.
Wenger refuses to rule out title
Benitez made one alteration to his back four as Martin Skrtel replaced the suspended Sotirios Krygiakos, yet it was still easy to see why Liverpool arrived unbeaten in seven league games with four successive clean sheets.
In the first half they were rarely troubled by Arsenal forwards Nicklas Bendtner or Andrey Arshavin, although Bendtner did slice over from an acute angle after being played in by his strike partner.
Liverpool felt they should have had a penalty when Maxi Rodriguez's strike appeared to cannon into the arm of Thomas Vermaelen and Pepe Reina saved comfortably from Cesc Fabregas.
The half-time whistle came as a relief and, fortunately for all concerned, the second period was a more open affair from the first whistle.
Arshavin drilled a venomous effort into the side-netting and Lucas shot just over when put through by Dirk Kuyt after some careless defending by Gael Clichy.
Benitez confident of top four finish
Both teams were pressing hard for an opener and suddenly the standard of play began to soar.
Gerrard took control of a counter-attack to send Ngog scurrying away but William Gallas slid in with a perfectly-timed tackle as his fellow Frenchman was about to shoot.
At the other end, Arshavin put Rosicky away but he lacked composure and miscontrolled before Bendtner saw an effort scrambled clear.
By now there was a pulsating ebb and flow to the game and the hosts were beginning to dictate, Rosicky flashing inches over via a Javier Mascherano deflection.
It felt like the deadlock would soon be broken and so it proved.
Bendtner showed fine persistence to feed Rosicky on the right and he curled in a superb cross for the unmarked Diaby to head home.
Liverpool came straight back at their opponents and Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia brilliantly tipped Babel's fizzing strike on to the bar.
Benitez's team earned a number of free-kicks in dangerous areas but failed to capitalise.
One set-piece from Gerrard appeared to hit the arm of Fabregas in the wall but referee Howard Webb waved away their appeals, leaving Wenger to celebrate his 300th Premier League win.

Liverpool 1 - 0 Everton

Great LIVERPOOL FC spirit although with 10 players!!

Dirk Kuyt grabbed the only goal of the game to settle a truculent Merseyside derby as 10-man Liverpool beat Everton to further their top-four ambitions.
The Dutchman rose to head home a Steven Gerrard corner to settle a fierce game.
It was little more than the hosts deserved after recovering from Sotirios Kyrgiakos's first-half red card for a lunge at Marouane Fellaini.
Tim Cahill headed Everton's best chance over but the visitors rarely threatened before Stephen Pienaar's late red card.
The defeat ends a run of nine matches unbeaten for Everton, but manager David Moyes might quietly admit his side simply did not do enough to earn any more from a match that saw Liverpool play more than 60 minutes a man down.
For the Reds, though, it was a precious win that served to underline their renewed strength of late.
We can fight until end of season - Benitez
And with Tottenham and Aston Villa drawing in Saturday's later game, Rafael Benitez's side remained in fourth despite enduring a season to forget so far for many of their fans.
The red half of Merseyside have now secured 17 points from a possible 21 in their last seven league matches.
But few of those will have been earned in such trying circumstances from a pulsating encounter memorable as much for its ferocity as its football.
Referee Martin Atkinson was always likely to be a key figure in a fixture that before kick-off had seen more dismissals than any other in the Premier League, 17, and eight in the last 10 league games - and so it proved.
Keen to give the game a chance to flow, he allowed a host of forceful early challenges to go without sanction.
But if his hope was that the spice would soon temper, he was wrong, and his patience was exhausted as early as the half-hour mark.
Jamie Carragher was particularly aggressive in the opening exchanges, Fellaini was fortunate that Atkinson missed him kicking out at Kuyt after the striker had been felled, while a booking for Pienaar after he had raked his studs down Javier Mascherano's shin also looked lenient.
And so the home supporters were incensed when Kyrgiakos saw red.
The Greek defender's challenge on Fellaini was undoubtedly fierce, leaving the ground as he launched himself two-footed towards the ball.
However, replays suggested Fellaini was equally guilty of a misjudgement as he too missed the ball, succeeding only in connecting with Kyrgiakos's shin.
The Everton midfielder, stretchered off as a result of the challenge, was not punished, while Krygiakos had to have stitches in his leg in the dressing room before taking his early bath.
Amid the ferocity of the challenges, the match was barely allowed to flow, ensuring clear-cut chances were at a premium.
Leighton Baines forced Reds keeper Pepe Reina into action with a 20th-minute free-kick, while Gerrard crashed a whipped set-piece of his own on to the top of the bar in first half injury time.
The best chance of the half fell to Cahill, though, the Australian heading over on the dive just before the break after Mascherano's attempted clearance had fallen straight to him 10 yards out.
It was a miss he would rue 10 minutes into the second half. Kuyt was the scorer, muscling free of Phil Neville and Tim Howard to smartly nod in Gerrard's corner from close in.
It was the Dutchman's 50th goal in Liverpool colours and, with a record of only one goal against in their last six matches, the hosts visibly grew in confidence despite their numeric disadvantage. It was clear something had to change for the visitors if they were to make their extra man count, and Moyes reverted to 4-4-2 with 20 minutes left with the introduction of Yakubu and Victor Anichebe.
But it made little difference as Liverpool repelled Everton's increasingly desperate forays into the box with ease, even when Anichebe found room in the area in injury time as Reina and Daniel Agger combined to clear.
It was somewhat fitting, then, when Pienaar was handed a second yellow card deep into injury time as the Toffees' frustration got the better of them.
The result leaves Everton without a win at Anfield since 1999, and means they have it all to do if they are to continue their push for a top-six finish and European football.
However, Liverpool's recent renaissance continues and Benitez's promise of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification looks ever more possible on this form.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Bolton

Liverpool FC great record against Bolton in Anfield continues.

Liverpool moved a point behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a win over Bolton at Anfield.
Bolton almost went ahead when Sotirios Kyrgiakos cleared a Chung-Yong Lee shot off the Reds goal-line.
But the home side took the lead after Alberto Aquilani nodded an Emiliano Insua cross back across goal and Dirk Kuyt scuffed in a shot.
David Ngog missed a great chance before Insua's shot deflected in off Kevin Davies to help secure a Reds victory.
The win extended Liverpool's unbeaten league run to six games and gave them extra satisfaction as Spurs were held to a draw by Birmingham.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez had praised his side's recent defending and a back-to-basics approach that had seen them concede just once in their previous five league games.
Improving Liverpool please Benitez
But with a more stable defensive foundation and the need to make the most of their home games as they chase a top-four finish, Benitez fielded a more attacking side against Bolton and it eventually paid dividends.
Yet it was the visitors who quickly created the first chance. Tamir Cohen got goal side of Jamie Carragher but, by the time he got his shot off as he was pressured by the Reds right-back, keeper Pepe Reina had closed him down and gathered his poked effort.
Liverpool were guilty of too many misplaced passes and, although they saw plenty of the ball, there was a lack of cutting edge to their play as they failed to raise a subdued Anfield.
When the Reds did threaten, Kuyt failed to do enough to get on the end of an inviting Insua cross and was almost immediately punished.
Bolton's right-sided midfielder Lee picked up the ball on the halfway line and ran at the heart of a back-peddling Reds defence. With Cohen's run dragging Liverpool's defenders away, Lee rounded Reina and got a shot in which rugged centre-back Kyrgiakos did well to clear off the line.
Liverpool were looking unconvincing but still took the lead as Kuyt got his third goal in as many Premier League games.
Another dangerous Insua cross was nodded back across goal by Aquilani and, although Kuyt mistimed his shot, the ball still found its way into the Bolton net.
As Bolton pushed forward to try to get back into the game, Liverpool should have extended their lead after a swift counter-attack.
Steven Gerrard's shot from an Albert Riera cross was fended away by keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and fell to Ngog, who had a gaping goal in front of him but could only strike his shot into the ground and high off the top of the crossbar.
Jaaskelainen parried away a fierce Gerrard strike before further Liverpool pressure saw Insua's shot deflect off Kevin Davies, wrong-footing the Bolton keeper to extend the home side's lead.
Liverpool had gained a stranglehold of the game and, after an improvement following their second goal, could have added more as they secured a seventh straight win over Bolton.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:"I am pleased with the result and the second half but not too happy with the first half - but at the end of the day we needed to win and we won.
"In the first half they had two chances and we were a little lucky but in the second half it was different and we could have scored more goals.
"I think we are improving. Clearly you can see the team is working hard."
Bolton boss Owen Coyle:"Tamir Cohen on another day might have had a penalty and Chung-Yong Lee had a terrific run (when his shot was cleared off the line).
"The second goal was a foul as Lucas (Leiva) has dragged Johan Elmander and wherever the shot (by Emiliano Insua) was going it wasn't going in.
"Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will be delighted he's had the breaks today."

Wolverhampton 0 - 0 Liverpool

Liverpool's inconsistency returned with a vengeance as they were held to a draw by a valiant Wolves at Molineux.
The Reds, who beat Tottenham in their last game, lacked invention with Albert Riera missing a rare early opening.
Wolves striker Kevin Doyle had a poked goalbound shot deflected wide by defender Emiliano Insua as the home side created more clear-cut chances.
The Reds applied some late pressure but a resolute Wolves deservedly held on for a point.
With last Wednesday's 2-0 win over fourth-placed Spurs under their belts, Liverpool were aiming to show signs their stuttering season had turned a corner.
But previous such victories so far this campaign have only seen them go round in circles of poor form, lack of confidence and the problem of failing to perform without key players.
And, even though inspirational captain Steven Gerrard was back for the Reds, they again flattered to deceive with Wolves keeper Marcus Hahnemann hardly called into any serious action.
Riera flashed a header across the Wolves goal as he could not to get enough purchase on his effort in order to send it goalwards, and the urgency with which Liverpool started the game quickly evaporated.
Instead, the home side quickly got into their stride after a sluggish start and, as they comfortably held the Reds at arm's length, they almost took the lead.
A counter-attack saw left winger Matt Jarvis outpace Jamie Carragher and get in a low cross to the near post and, even though Doyle got to it first, his effort was deflected wide off Insua.
Benitez defends team selection
The threatening Jarvis was his side's best attacking outlet and he drifted a cross the the far post where Kevin Foley sent a header straight at keeper Pepe Reina as he was defeated by the angle.
Wolves have only scored 17 goals in 21 league games this season - the lowest in the Premier League for the present campaign - while Liverpool have struggled for away goals with 17 in as many games away from home in all competitions.
Liverpool's problems at Molineux were as a result of a lack of invention as Gerrard and left-winger Riera lacked match sharpness, along with right winger Maxi Rodriguez, who was making his full Reds debut.
Riera did again go close when his mistimed volley almost looped under the crossbar before the alert Hahnemann saved.
The impressive workrate and 4-5-1 formation of Wolves also had plenty to do with them keeping Liverpool at bay, with the tough midfield tackling of Karl Henry and harrying of lone frontman Doyle a feature of the home side's play.
As the game progressed, Wolves grew in confidence and Doyle sent a well-struck shot over.
Liverpool's attacking midfielder Alberto Aquilani had to watch from the touchline as the visitors continued to be repelled by Wolves and had to settle for a draw.
Liverpool are now fifth and three points behind Tottenham but sixth-placed Manchester City are level with the Reds with two games in hand, while Wolves are fourth from bottom courtesy of a better goal difference than Burnley.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:"If you analyse the game, it was a fair result. In the first half, we were in control, although we didn't create chances. The final pass in the final third was the difference.
"In the second half, they pushed harder. We still had some good counter-attacks but again the final pass was the difference. It was a fair result."
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy on striker striker Kevin Doyle:"If you see a better performance from a centre-forward than Doyle showed, I would like to see it. If he had just managed a goal, it would have been one of the best all-round performances.
"He is physically strong enough to play that role. We changed the system and I don't think our keeper had a save to make. I don't think we were troubled.
"It was a really solid performance and it's great to get off 19 points because we've been there for too long."

Liverpool 2 - 0 Tottenham

Liverpool made up crucial ground in the race for the Premier League's fourth place with victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Dirk Kuyt's early strike established the platform for the win in a game Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admitted they simply could not afford to lose, leaving them only a single point behind Spurs.
And he wrapped up the three points with a twice-taken penalty in injury time after Sebastian Bassong had flattened Liverpool substitute David Ngog in the area.
Liverpool's ceaseless workrate and greater passion earned them a deserved three points, and the victory margin could have been greater had Albert Riera's second half header not hit the bar and Kuyt failed to hit the target from close range.
Ngog forced a fine save from Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes in the dying minutes and Kuyt was guilty of an awful miss as Anfield was subjected to a needlessly anxious finale before the Netherlands striker scored his second from the spot.
Spurs were desperately disappointing as they missed a chance to put down a marker for their ambitions of breaking into the top four, rarely applying concerted pressure to a Liverpool side stripped of their two most potent forces, captain Steven Gerrard and and striker Fernando Torres, through injury.
Manager Harry Redknapp can point to a Jermain Defoe strike that was contentiously ruled out by referee Howard Webb, leaving him still without a managerial win at Anfield in 13 visits.
It is now more than 16 years since Spurs last enjoyed a league win at one of the so-called big four of the Premier League, a damning statistic and one they would have been hoping to change when they arrived to face under-strength and struggling Liverpool at Anfield.
Instead it was Liverpool who claimed the honours, and while the win was hardly a cure for the ills that have dogged their season, they can at least feel there is now some cause for cautious optimism.
Liverpool boss Benitez's spirits will have been lifted by a banner of support on The Kop - and his team played their part as they took the lead after only six minutes.
Alberto Aquilani made a nuisance of himself on the edge of the Spurs penalty area, and when the ball fell into Kuyt's path he drilled a low right-foot finish into Gomes' bottom corner.
Liverpool may have been without injured Gerrard, but there was no shortage of industry and inspiration as Jamie Carragher led from the front impressively.
Spurs were lacking sharpness and Liverpool's greater sense of urgency was much appreciated by their fans as Anfield searched for vital signs that this season of suffering will come out of its slump.
Gomes' desire to punch as opposed to catch was causing more problems than it solved for the Spurs defence, and he almost put his side in trouble a minute before the interval when he failed to deal convincingly with Riera's corner. Kuyt saw his header scrambled off the line by Gareth Bale in the subsequent melee before Martin Skrtel fired over the top.
Spurs finally gave Pepe Reina an anxious moment in first half stoppage time when Luka Modric broke into the area, but Liverpool's keeper was equal to the task as he blocked with his legs.
Defoe thought he had equalised for Spurs in the opening moments of the second half, but the goal was ruled out - although the exact nature of the offence was not clear.
And Liverpool almost took advantage and doubled their lead after 51 minutes when Riera met Carragher's cross with a fine header, only to see it bounce back to safety off the bar.
Spurs appeared to have finally realised the importance of the occasion and looked to apply some pressure to Liverpool's goal, with Jermaine Jenas forcing Reina into a one-handed save following a slick exchange with Defoe on the edge of the box.
Philipp Degen inexplicably wasted the chance to get Liverpool's second when he was set free by Kuyt inside the area. The situation begged for a shot, and yet Degen chose to play a hopeless return ball that brought the threat to an abrupt conclusion.
Benitez made two changes to see Liverpool through to the final whistle, with Ngog replacing the tiring Aquilani and Maxi Rodriguez coming on for Riera. It should have been the signal for Liverpool to wrap up the win, but Ngog was halted by Gomes, who also saved well from Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Kuyt shot hopelessly over from eight yards.
Liverpool finally got the second goal they had threatened when Bassong clumsily floored Kuyt in the area. He scored with his first attempt but was ordered to retake the kick after a Liverpool player encroached - and he was equally emphatic at the second time of asking.
The Kop ended singing the name of manager Benitez as some of the pressure lifted on the Spaniard with victory over one of their closest rivals for a top four place.

Stoke 1 - 1 Liverpool

Stoke's Robert Huth denied boss Rafael Benitez a vital victory with a dramatic last-minute leveller against Liverpool.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos had given the Reds the lead, bundling home from close-range, after Thomas Sorensen's fumble.
Earlier, Liverpool had been denied a penalty after defender Danny Higginbotham brought down Lucas.
A late Potters corner was headed across goal by Higginbotham for Huth to poke home, then Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt headed against the post in a frantic finale.
The result did little to ease the intense pressure on beleaguered boss Benitez who had faced a barrage of criticism and calls for him to be sacked following his side's FA Cup exit at the hands of Reading on Wednesday.
Understandably, after their midweek defeat against the Championship strugglers, Liverpool started nervously.
That showed when Fabio Aurelio had the chance to send Javier Mascherano away on his own but tried a ridiculous 40-yard attempt to expose an out-of-position Sorensen that sailed miles wide
And with an unfamiliar line-up, that had £20m Alberto Aquilani and new signing Maxi Rodriguez start the game on the substitutes' bench, the visitors struggled to get into the game with Stoke starting brightly.
Twice keeper Pepe Reina was called into action by Rory Delap's long throws and having just about dealt with the first the Spaniard fumbled the second with the ball stabbed wide from close range.
But Liverpool started to warm into the game and Lucas saw his goalbound shot bravely blocked by Abdoulaye Faye.
The Reds were further boosted with Delap and Faye going off injured and the substitutions seemed to disrupt the hosts.
Under-fire Benitez defends players
But while Sorensen was not called into action once in the opening 45 minutes by an unimaginative Liverpool attack that was missing injured trio Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun, the visitors were denied a penalty midway through the half.
Lucas played a neat one two with Philipp Degen but as he latched on to the return pass he was brought down by Higginbotham.
The Brazilian was booked for diving by referee Lee Mason, with replays suggested Higginbotham made no contact with the ball, much to the annoyance of manager Benitez.
But just before the hour mark Liverpool eased the pressure on Benitez with a goal they barely deserved.
Higginbotham was wrongly adjudged to have fouled Degen on the right, and from the resulting free-kick Sorensen fumbled Aurelio's inswinging cross onto Kyrgiakos and over the line.
Pulis relieved after 'scrappy' draw
Moments later Tuncay headed wide at the back post for Stoke while substitute Ricardo Fuller's flicked header from Matthew Etherington's inswinging corner was straight at Reina.
With 12 minutes left Liverpool introduced new signing Rodriguez but it was Stoke who finished strongly.
Late pressure from Stoke resulted in a last-minute corner which Higginbotham headed back across goal for the unmarked Huth to tap home at full stretch.
And deep into injury time Liverpool could have snatched a dramatic winner but forward Kuyt diving header from Aurelio's cross crashed against the post from close range