TWO-NIL up at Anfield, Hull City’s supporters found a chant to express how their side are making miracles routine. Suggesting that this was as “easy” as winning at the Emirates in September, the fans asked Liverpool cheekily: “Are you Arsenal in disguise?”

Of course they aren’t. Arsenal are the last team to which Rafael Benitez’s pragmatic grinders can be likened. More Arsenal-like qualities, and Liverpool might not have drawn three consecutive home games they were expected to win, a sequence that has “disappointed” Benitez and cast doubt on whether his team are ready to reclaim the title for which their supporters so ache.

Arsenal could do with being more like Liverpool, by adopting the obdurate spirit and physical force which, in lieu of a good performance, allowed them to score twice through Steven Gerrard in eight first-half minutes and come back for the draw. But Liverpool need some of the penetrating passing and effortless changes of attacking angles that Arsenal, even on bad days, can offer. This was not quite as frustrating as the goalless draws versus Stoke, West Ham and Fulham, but it was another occasion when anxiety spread in a rush across the Kop, like ink on blotting paper; when the risk of more home points dropped became likely. That happened with about 30 minutes remaining when, after rocking for a period while Liverpool pursued a third goal, Hull regained composure and settled into a disciplined routine of defending.

Liverpool had no game-breaking performer on the pitch and no game-breaker in their dugout. Benitez made three substitutions but all were like-for-like players and none changed the shape of his side. Robbie Keane’s face, when Benitez sent on Lucas Leiva instead of him, was a picture of disgust.

It didn’t help that Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt and Xabi Alonso had off-days, or that the final balls of Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun and Gerrard were uncharacteristically poor, but when Liverpool play like this, it can seem that there is something institutional in their lack of imagination. By the end everyone, Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia included, was joining the attack but Boaz Myhill actually came under less threat as time elapsed, not more.

Hull, on top of the Emirates win and victories at Tottenham and Newcastle, have frightened the life out of Manchester United and Liverpool in their own stadiums. They could even claim to be aggrieved by the score. Phil Brown, their manager, said that Michael Turner suffered off-the-ball fouls in the lead-up to both of Gerrard’s goals. “Some great tactical planning and work by the players to go 2-0 up was undone. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement,” Brown said.

Paul McShane was the unlikely author of Hull’s opener, beating Pepe Reina with a header from Marlon King’s 12th-minute cross. McShane was quickly substituted after suffering double vision.

Hull soon scored again through another odd source: Carragher turned the ball into his own net when pressured by a sublime low cross from Bernard Mendy, who had received possession thanks to an excellent pass from King.

The 2-0 lead lasted two minutes. On a coruscating counter-attack, Liverpool fed the ball early to Gerrard, who laid off to Benayoun to release Kuyt quickly. The Dutchman sent a searching centre into Hull’s box. Turner went down after tangling with Riera, and Gerrard arrived to poke a shot past Myhill.

He soon equalised with another composed finish, scoring when Kuyt won a back-post knockdown for Benayoun to turn the ball Gerrard’s way after Carragher had crossed.

Sadly for Liverpool, their captain’s calmness in the box was in contrast to his and his teammates’ impatience outside it. Yet, because they underperformed, it was an open, suspenseful game. Liverpool poured on pressure, Alonso and Riera going close with long-range efforts and Hyypia heading against the post. Nicky Barmby encapsulated Hull’s spirit, chasing back 60 yards to make a diving block and thwart Benayoun.

LIVERPOOL: Reina 7, Arbeloa 6, Hyypia 8, Carragher 6, Dossena 6, Mascherano 5 (Lucas 87min), Alonso 6, Gerrard 7, Benayoun 6 (El Zhar 74min), Riera 6 (Babel 82min), Kuyt 5

HULL CITY: Myhill 7, Ashbee 6, Turner 7, Zayette 7, Mendy 7, McShane 6 (Marney 27min, 6), Barmby 6 (Windass 77min), Geovanni 7, Ricketts 6, King 6, Boateng 6 (Halmosi 66min)