We were covering proceedings from Anfield as Liverpool squared up against the plucky Canaries.
Here’s how the whole thing unfolded.
Full-time: Liverpool 1-1 Norwich
Liverpool start well, as Martin Skrtel’s header comes off the crossbar… Welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool v Norwich City…
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Jose Enrique, Kuyt, Gerrard, Adam, Downing, Suarez, Bellamy
Norwich: Ruddy, Naughton, Barnett, Russell Martin, Tierney, Bennett, Fox, Johnson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Morison
Suarez finds the side netting when he should probably score. A perfect chance for Liverpool, wasted.
Glen Johnson – back in the Liverpool defence and making his first start – gets free down the right but there’s nobody there to make the best of a fine cross.
Liverpool have hit the woodwork for a second time! Lovely play from Bellamy as he cuts back to Suarez. The Uruguayan’s shot is tipped on to the post by John Ruddy and Downing shanks the follow-up.
They say Suarez scores one from every seven shots. He’s due a goal in about three shots’ time, in that case. His latest effort goes over the bar.
Wes Hoolahan almost exploits the carelessness in the Liverpool defence. He shoots straight at Reina, who spills it to nobody in particular.
Another effort from Suarez goes begging – he hooks his volley wide.
Anthony Pilkington meets a cross from Bennett but it goes wide. Norwich coming back into it.
Steve Morison’s header is gathered cleanly by Reina – lucking for the home side. The sharpness has gone out of Liverpool’s play..
A close up of Andy Carroll on the bench, not looking too warm but plentifully fuzzy…
Leon Barnett snuffs out the danger after Steven Gerrard looks to release Suarez. First glimpse of the Liverpool captain in full flow.
Dirk Kuyt in a rare display of petulance – he doesn’t believe he was offside. The match, while not scrappy, is not very interesting. Suarez is down.
Nasty challenge by Tierney on Downing. Yellow card for the Norwich player.
Downing gets two bites at the free-kick – both are blocked before Charlie Adam’s shot goes over. Carroll is warming up but there’s no sign of an injury.
Downing’s cross is headed straight at Ruddy by Suarez. Not enough pace on it to trouble the Norwich ‘keeper.
Nothing to do with this match, but if the words ‘Balotelli,’ ‘fireworks,’ ‘bathroom’ and ‘narrow escape’ pique your interest, read this here…
Almost half time here – hoping for a more exciting second half (hoping this update tempts fate and we get a goal).
It worked! Stoppage time at the end of the first half and Liverpool take the lead through Craig Bellamy. The Welshman’s shot took a deflection off Tierney but he’ll be claiming that.
It’s half-time at Anfield..
We’re back. Liverpool are a Craig Bellamy goal to the good and Liverpool are attacking right to left in the second half.
Pilkington has been Norwich’s dangerman in recent weeks and it’s easy to see why – he hits a fine shot but it’s straight at Pepe Reina. He follows that up by attacking down the left but shows too much of it to Martin Skrtel.
Poll: Is Luis Suarez too full of tricks and flicks? Should he be more direct?
Poll Results:
And as soon as that’s published, he hits the woodwork yet again! Liverpool seem on the verge of a second…
Gerrard accepts a reverse pass from Suarez but his shot doesn’t quite test Ruddy.
Norwich are bringing in Grant Holt – twice their player of the year. He replaces Elliott Bennett.
No power in a header from Bellamy, he should have done far better with that.
Decent effort from David Fox for Norwich, he’s well set up by Wes Hoolahan. Every one of Norwich’s four efforts have been straight at Reina, though.
Grant Holt scores for Norwich!
A fantastic header from Holt, scoring from an equally magnificent cross from Pilkington. Liverpool were shocking defence though and Charlie Adam will be kicking himself for giving the ball away.
Another effort from Holt and he should have scored! Reina saves though. Liverpool are rattled.
Another shot from Suarez sneaks through the fingers of Ruddy. It’s a great match, end to end, almost halfway through the second half.
Terrible news for Ireland…
Hoolahan seizes on a huge clearance by Ruddy but his shot sails high and wide. Decent though.
According to my colleague Gavan Reilly, no side has conceded more goals in the last 15 minutes of Premier League games this season than Norwich. As Suarez fires his 86th shot of the match wide, there’s some encouragement for Reds fans.
Adam barges into the box and is felled by Barnett, but the decision goes to Norwich. Throw. Probably correct – the Liverpool midfielder was looking for it.
Into the last minute of the 90. Daniel Agger’s warming up for Liverpool. Norwich holding firm.
Glen Johnson with a ridiculous shot from distance, which flies over. Kuyt is off for Agger.
A nervous moment for Norwich as Ruddy drops a cross. He’s saved by Barnett but Liverpool have a corner. Pilkington is replaced by Andrew Crofts.
CARROLL!!!!! He misses!!! A wonderful cross from Gerrard is headed wide by Carroll from five yards out. They can have no complaints if this ends in a draw, they’ve been wasteful.
The match is over and it’s finished Liverpool 1-1 Norwich. Ruddy made a quite brilliant save at the death from Luis Suarez, who volleyed from a Gerrard cross. Fair result.
Liverpool will rue not making more of their plentiful first half chances – Suarez was guilty of at least six misses.
Charlie Adam, meanwhile, let his team down by giving away possession for the Norwich goal.
The Canaries were excellent in the second half and the introduction of Grant Holt proved a masterstroke by Paul Lambert.
That’s all from Anfield, thanks for keeping up…
