Mohamed Salah spurned an early chance and the manner in which he raced clear of the visitors’ high defensive line appeared to lead Paul Lambert to instruct his backline to drop deeper.
Subsequently, the Reds found it difficult to carve out sights of Jack Butland’s goal, with Danny Ings’ disallowed effort - ruled out for a marginal offside call - shortly before half-time the closest they came to making the breakthrough.
Despite the disappointment of seeing two points slip away, Liverpool remain in control of their own destiny in terms of the race for a top-four finish.