Liverpool 1 - 1 FC Basel

Steven Gerrard - who dragged Liverpool through to victory in a similar situation against OIympiakos at Anfield a decade ago - threatened to do so again when his brilliant late free-kick equalised Fabian Frei's first-half goal for the Swiss.

Up until Gerrard's equaliser, this was not an occasion in the famous Anfield tradition of European nights, The Kop silenced for long periods except when voicing frustration at a side that has lost its way since coming so close to winning the Premier League last season.

Liverpool may claim injustice after substitute Lazar Markovic was sent off after coming on and delivering a promising cameo.

But once he senselessly raised his arm in the direction of the pursuing Behrang Safari, he was running the risk of a red card.

It is another setback in a disappointing season for manager Brendan Rodgers, who must now galvanise players who looked devastated at the final whistle for a Europa League campaign.

Liverpool have lost the goals of talisman Luis Suarez to Barcelona as well as Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli to injury, but that does not fully explain how they have become so pedestrian and lacking in spark.

The Champions League was meant to be a return to their rightful status for Liverpool.

But one win in six group games, and that only a fortunate victory earned by Gerrard's late penalty against Ludogorets, tells the tale of a team that has simply not been up to the demands of Europe's elite tournament.

Liverpool now have a pivotal week where they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday and then visit Bournemouth in the Capital One Cup quarter-final.

Basel's fans were in noisy and buoyant mood despite a Merseyside downpour before kick-off - and that optimism was reflected in their team during an opening half that reduced Anfield to frustrated silence at its conclusion.

Instead of coming out with pace, energy, movement and the sort of threat befitting the task in front of them, Liverpool were nervous and slower than Basel, who took a deserved lead after 25 minutes.

Frei's low shot from the edge of the area beat the motionless Simon Mignolet after a slick exchange with Luca Zuffi proved too much for Liverpool's hesitant defence.

Instead of sparking Liverpool into action, the goal only added to Basel's confidence and they looked more likely to add a second than the home team did to finding an equaliser before Rodgers was forced into a double substitution at the start of the second half.

Jose Enrique and Rickie Lambert were replaced by Alberto Moreno and Markovic, the latter finally injecting some drive and tempo into Liverpool's game before his sending off just after the hour mark.

Liverpool were struggling to create chances and referee Bjorn Kuipers from the Netherlands infuriated The Kop even further when he ignored loud appeals for a penalty as Gerrard went down as he and visiting keeper Tomas Vaclik challenged for a loose ball in the area.

Just as hope seemed to be slipping away, it was Gerrard who delivered once more, showing superb technique to send his free-kick from 20 yards just inside the post and into the top corner beyond the flying figure of Vaclik.

As the pressure and the noise levels finally grew, Vaclik had to show great athleticism to clutch Jordan Henderson's deflected header as it looked set to bounce over the line in front of an expectant Kop.

In a predictably frenzied finale, defender Martin Skrtel was sent up front as a last throw of the dice and was just off target with a near-post flick while Vaclik again saved well from Henderson.

But it was tough to compile a strong case for Liverpool deserving to get out of this group.

(BBC)