Blackburn and Liverpool did everything but score as their Premier League clash ended in an entertaining 0-0 draw at Ewood Park on Saturday. The Reds' Premier League ambitions suffered another significant dent after their shortcomings in front of goal were exposed by Blackburn in the goalless draw at Ewood Park.
Dirk Kuyt had three decent chances in the second half, Steven Gerrard had two and substitute Peter Crouch had a header cleared off the line as the lacklustre Reds were fortunate to escape with a point.
Before the break David Bentley hit the post and David Dunn smashed a shot against the crossbar as Rovers dominated.
Part of the problem for the visitors was the lack of presence on the forward line.
Manager Rafael Benitez left England striker Crouch on the bench which meant skipper Gerrard played in an advanced role behind Kuyt but it was an experiment which failed spectacularly.
Only when Crouch was introduced in the 72nd minute - with his international colleague dropping back to right midfield - did Liverpool look more threatening.
But title-winning campaigns are not built on strong performances in the last 18 minutes at places like Ewood Park and Benitez's side missed the chance to make up ground on top two Arsenal and Manchester United after they drew earlier in the day.
In a frenetic opening Benni McCarthy, scorer of five goals in his last four matches, produced a sublime piece of skill to turn Jamie Carragher but Sami Hyypia was on hand to swiftly clear the danger.
Neither side gave the other time to get the ball down and settle into a rhythm and Liverpool's short passing game continually took them down blind alleys.
Blackburn's first effort on target came when Morten Gamst Pedersen robbed Gerrard inside Rovers' half. David Bentley swung in a long cross which Roque Santa Cruz headed straight at Jose Reina.
Dunn was guilty of poor decision making in the 21st minute when he weaved his way past Javier Mascherano and Carragher but slipped the ball to Santa Cruz rather than shoot himself from the edge of the penalty area.
By contrast, Liverpool offered little going forward with Gerrard often collecting the ball too high up the pitch to utilise his strengths.
It took until the 30th minute for Liverpool to even threaten a shot but when John Arne Riise's left-wing cross fell at the feet of Kuyt and rebounded to Benayoun he saw his effort blocked by Stephen Warnock, playing against the club he left in January.
Blackburn continued to offer more up front and in the 35th minute Andre Ooijer's long ball was knocked on by Santa Cruz to Bentley who evaded Riise's tackle only to see his shot scrape the outside of Reina's left-hand post.
Liverpool finally managed a shot on target with five minutes of the half remaining when Babel cut back on to his right foot and curled a shot which Brad Friedel comfortably parried away.
Just before the break Dunn turned the ball on to his weaker left foot before crashing a 20-yard shot against the crossbar.
Liverpool opened the second half brighter with Babel having a volley deflected for a corner before Kuyt squandered two great chances.
On both occasions he cut in from the right but first rolled a shot into Friedel's arms and then failed to pick out the on-rushing Gerrard.
The visiting supporters had seen enough and began chanting
'attack, attack, attack' but Rovers, who replaced Dunn with the veteran Tugay 11 minutes into the second half, still looked the more likely to score.
With Liverpool crying out for some creativity Benitez turned to Harry Kewell just after the hour, despite the injury-prone Australian playing just 96 minutes of first-team football since limping out of the 2006 FA Cup final.
Babel made way but the action turned to the other end where Ooijer's shot deflected off Carragher's arm but referee Martin Atkinson ruled Rovers could only have a corner, which Santa Cruz headed over.
Liverpool were desperate for an injection of pace but with that unavailable Benitez turned to 6ft 7ins Crouch in the 72nd minute, with Benayoun departing.
In the 79th minute Gerrard burst through on the left of the area but his shot was blocked by Freidel.
And then when Crouch headed on Riise's left-wing corner Bentley cleared off the line.
The last 10 minutes were a complete turnaround as Liverpool poured forward and when Crouch nodded down to Gerrard the captain found Friedel in the way again.
And Kuyt's misery was complete when, having been set up by Kewell, he blazed over from five yards.
