As he pondered Birmingham’s fragile Premier League status following an absorbing and nail-shredding afternoon, Alex McLeish wasn’t quite sure whether to grin or grimace.

Happy that his team had put their 5-1 annihilation in the Second City derby behind them to secure a precious point despite being comprehensively outplayed by the club that could lift the Champions League trophy next month?

Or furious that his relegation-threatened side had surrendered a two-goal lead against a preoccupied and severely depleted Liverpool team?

McLeish’s glass was half full rather than half empty. While the Scot was “disappointed” that Birmingham had allowed Liverpool back into a game that he had felt was “sewn up” after an hour, he argued: “That could yet prove to be the point that keeps us in the Premier League.”

Gary Megson and Steve Coppell may privately fume about the personnel in Liverpool’s starting lineup (Roy Hodgson can say little after Benitez’s shadow team effortlessly swept aside his Craven Cottagers last weekend) but McLeish believes the visitors may even have benefited from the nine changes to the side that lined up for the Champions League anthem in midweek.

Only Jose Reina and Martin Skrtel survived from the starting XI against Chelsea and while Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt were on the bench, the closest they got to the action was a few gentle jogs down the touchline. “The side they had in midweek has more ability,” said McLeish, “but this one was fresher and I don’t think any of my players would get in that Liverpool team that was out there today.”

Who could blame Benitez for unleashing his fringe players? For Liverpool, this game did not even qualify as an appetising hors d’ouevre ahead of Wednesday’s tantalising main course against Chelsea. It was more an unwanted distraction, like being served a Scotch egg when you’re trying to keep room for a Scotch fillet of beef.

The success or otherwise of Benitez’s fourth season as manager will be judged not on clinching fourth place with two games to spare, as they did yesterday – that is the bare minimum ambition at Anfield – but whether the Spanish magician can pull another rabbit from his Champions League hat. “I’d like to finish higher in the league but you have to be happy with fourth place, especially if we go on to win the Champions League,” said Benitez.

In what was effectively a Champions League audition for Anfield’s second string, Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant and Yossi Benayoun shone the brightest. Crouch was a constant menace to the Birmingham back four and pulled a goal back for the visitors with an expert finish following a slaloming run by Jermaine Pennant and a neat touch from the otherwise erratic Andriy Voronin.

Yet Benayoun was the sprightliest player in red, constantly foraging for the ball and utilising it intelligently. His headed equal-iser was fortunate – Maik Taylor would have dealt with it easily had it not taken a deflection off Radhi Jaidi, but it was merited for such a polished display.

Birmingham’s chances of survival had seemed slimmer than Amy Winehouse after their 5-1 humiliation against Aston Villa in their previous outing. Yet this valuable point offers them hope of escaping relegation and dining at English football’s top table next season.

McLeish’s template was to stifle Liverpool in midfield and hope that strikers James McFadden and Mikael Forssell could conjure miracles in their forward isolation. It was a plan that worked for more than an hour.

The visitors had dominated the early exchanges without offering much in the way of penetration yet it was Birmingham who broke the deadlock to ease the tension at St Andrews. When the excellent McFadden sent over a fine cross from the right flank in the 34th minute, Steve Finnan was inexplicably drawn towards the near post and Forssell was left with ample time to control the ball on his chest and lash a close-range volley past Reina.

McFadden also played a central role in the second Birmingham goal. His guile forced Skrtel into hacking him down 30 yards from goal in the 55th minute and the fit-again Sebastian Larsson stepped up to curl a superb free kick past Reina. Yet Liverpool fought back with great spirit and the home side were hanging on grimly by the end.

Unfortunately for Birmingham, Benitez has fashioned a squad capable of winning any battle for physical supremacy, even when the generals are putting their feet up.

Match stats

Match stats:

Birmingham/ Liverpool
Shots on target (incl goals) 3-3
Shots off target 4-9
Blocked shots 0-3
Corners won 3-5
Total fouls conceded 6-9
Offsides 3-3
Yellow cards 2-1
Red cards 0-0
Possession 33% 67%

Star man:
Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool)

Player ratings:

Birmingham:
Taylor 6, Kelly 6, Jaidi 7, Ridgewell 6 (Queudrue 77min), Murphy 6, Larsson 7, Nafti 6, Muamba 7, Kapo 7 (McSheffrey 77min), Forssell 7 (Zarate 87min), McFadden 8

Liverpool:
Reina 6, Finnan 5, Hyypia 6, Skrtel 7, Riise 5 (Insua 64min), Pennant 8, Lucas 7, Plessis 6, Benayoun 8, Crouch 7, Voronin 5

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