Early on it was looking oh, so good for Liverpool in the Boxing Day clash at Pride Park. Fernando Torres opened up the Derby defence with the technique and glee of an excited kid unwrapping a Christmas present.

He received the ball just outside the penalty area, took on his opponent, then went past the next Derby defender and clipped the ball into the far corner. With the match just 13 minutes old, you would have thought that the focus would turn on improving the goal-difference column.

The 'no easy games' cliché looked as dead and buried as the turkey digested during yesterday’s lunch. After going 1-0 up, Liverpool recorded 86% of the possession in the first 15 minutes (the 6-0 win at Anfield in September, and a record of seven points out of 18 matches confirmed the Derby 'threat').

'The affable ex-Liverpool reserve Paul Jewell seemed to have roused his troops at half-time'

That affable ex-Liverpool reserve Paul Jewell seemed to have roused his County troops at half-time. And Liverpool probably felt they have done enough to return to Merseyside with the three points.

But they disrespected their opponents, wasting pass after pass, while also lacking assertiveness and solidity at the back, (taking into consideration John Arne Riise was deputising as centre-back, this was not too surprising). An accident was waiting to happen, and it came midway through the half when James McEveley slotted the equaliser after Liverpool failed to defend a free-kick.

Liverpool quickly regrouped, Dirk Kuyt was thrown into the fray for Ryan Babel (who is more effective when on as a sub). The returning Xabi Alonso got the best out of Welsh keeper Lewis Price and Steven Gerrard rattled the bar after some good work by Yossi Benayoun.