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Liverpool v Steaua Bucharest
... his word and left out Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in making eight changes for their opening Europa League group tie at home to Steaua Bucharest. ...
Midfielder Joe Cole's first Liverpool goal was one of the fastest in the club's history but it was not enough to give them a half-time lead at home to Steaua Bucharest in their opening Europa League Group K match.
The summer free transfer from Chelsea struck inside the first 30 seconds but the home side were pegged back by Cristian Tanase's 13th-minute equaliser.
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson kept to his word and left out Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in making eight changes for their opening Europa League group tie at home to Steaua Bucharest.
The Reds boss, with one eye on Sunday's huge Barclays Premier League encounter at Manchester United, did not even name the star duo on the bench.
Of the side which drew 0-0 at Birmingham on Sunday only goalkeeper Jose Reina, Paul Konchesky and Maxi Rodriguez survived.
Midfielder Raul Mereiles made his home debut, after a brief substitute appearance at St Andrews, with Hodgson also giving starts to Daniel Agger, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Cole, Ryan Babel, David Ngog, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly.
Prior to the match Hodgson had said Steaua, the 1986 European Cup winners, would provide a tough test but it took less than 30 seconds to dispel that theory.
Octavian Abduran, under pressure from David Ngog, left his back-pass woefully short and Cole nipped in to sidefoot a shot past goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu and in off the far post.
It was the England international's first goal for the club since his summer move from Chelsea on a free transfer.
The Romanians were rocked and Kyrgiakos had a downward header from Rodriguez's corner blocked by Eric Bicfalvi and Spearing fired a long-range shot over.
However, a defensive lapse in the 13th minute allowed Steaua to equalise.
Kyrgiakos and Kelly allowed Tanase to nip in between them to collect Bogdan Stancu's through-ball and he neatly chipped over Reina.
The goal gave the visitors the confidence they needed to start knocking the ball around as Liverpool lost their way.
Cole was released down the middle by Spearing but with no-one in support the midfielder had to shoot from distance and Tatarusanu had little difficulty in collecting.
Efforts from Babel and Rodriguez from a similar distances also failed to trouble the goalkeeper sufficiently.
It was a sign of the way things were going that when Spearing implored his team-mates to "pick it up" the call was heard all around a two-thirds full Anfield, and the crowd responded with an encouraging round of applause.
Abduran's foul on Rodriguez earned him a booking and Liverpool a 25-yard free-kick just before the interval but Konchesky shot well wide.
HT: Liverpool 1 Steaua Bucharest 1
Cole was Liverpool's most inventive player, although he did not have much competition in that department, and his good work in holding the ball up early in the second half allowed Rodriguez to fire in a shot straight at Tatarusanu.
They were gifted the chance to go ahead in the 55th minute when Pantelis Kapetanos pulled back Kyrgiakos as he challenged for Rodriguez's corner.
When Ngog stepped up to take the spot-kick - the last one at Anfield was missed by Cole against Trabzonspor - there was an audible groan.
However, the young French striker shrugged off the concerns of the Kop to expertly dispatch the ball into the left-hand corner before wheeling away with a celebration which may have included a gesture towards his doubters.
It was the 21-year-old's fifth goal of the season and fourth in five European games so far.
Meireles' came close to opening his account with a 30-yard volley which Tatarusanu dived low to his right to keep out.
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