Liverpool frustrated in stalemate

LONDON, England -- Liverpool lost ground in the Premier League title race as they were held to a goalless draw at Manchester City on Sunday.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's City could have leapfrogged Liverpool into fourth with victory at Eastlands but showed little ambition as the visitors dominated possession and missed a series of chances in the second half.

The draw left Liverpool ten points adrift of leaders Arsenal but having played a game less. City are in fifth, a point behind having played a game more, but maintaining their unbeaten home record.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez could not fault the effort of his players but said he would be trying to make signings in the January transfer window to pep up their title bid.

"We have some players, have some targets and we will try to sign the players we need.

"Maybe one, maybe two, if everyone is fit you never know. We are working hard and are very close," he said.

A sterile first half saw City nearly go ahead through a glancing header by Richard Dunne, while Harry Kewell had a half chance for Liverpool near the interval.

After the break man of the match Dunne had to be at his defensive best as Liverpool stepped up the pace.

After prodding one shot straight at Joe Hart, striker Fernando Torres then found himself charging onto a Steven Gerrard pass.

The young City keeper advanced quickly but was powerless to prevent Torres nudging the ball past.

For one awful moment, it looked as though Micah Richards and Dunne would get in each other's way as they raced back to clear before they both realized the effort was not going in and ushered it wide.

Then, Gerrard curled a free-kick narrowly beyond Hart's left-hand post after Richards had fouled Torres.

Hart tipped over from Yossi Benayoun and Gerrard fired wide as Liverpool maintained their early offensive, with City barely able to get out of their own half.

City hoped that introduction of Italian striker Rolando Bianchi would pep up their attack, but it made little difference as Yossi Benayoun and Gerrard had further efforts for the visitors.

But the home side, and Dunne in particular, would not yield. The Irishman was on hand to clear after Hart had denied Dirk Kuyt and when he slid in to block Benayoun's goalbound effort at the death, few would deny the defender deserved a share of the spoils.

Eriksson defended his tactics and said his team were tired after the Christmas program.

"It was a good game with not a lot of chances for either team. I'm happy with one point and an clean sheet is good against a team like Liverpool," he told Sky Sports.

New Derby County manager Paul Jewell was less than pleased with his team after their 2-1 home defeat to Blackburn Rovers in Sunday's other match.

"We were not good enough as simple as that," said an angry Jewell, whose side are ten points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Derby, who have only one Premier League win all season, went ahead at Pride Park through Matt Oakley's 27th minute goal.

But the course of the match was changed by a frantic few minutes before half-time where Derby's Steve Howard saw his penalty-kick saved by Brad Friedel before goals from Rovers duo Roque Santa Cruz and David Bentley gave them victory. E-mail to a friend