Tim Hobbs reporting



Danny Murphy stopped Premiership top dogs Leeds pulling away from the rest of the pack and plundering Anfield again.

The England squad member was on hand to cancel out Harry Kewell's first-half opener home after Robbie Fowler had chipped against the bar.

It prevented David O'Leary's men repeating their league success here last season and going  six points clear at the Premiership summit.

But in truth, he will be more concerned for his close friend Gerard Houllier after the Liverpool boss was taken to hospital at half-time after suffering chest pains.

He missed an improved second-half show from his side, galvanised by the introduction of Jari Litmanen, and culminating in a quite deserved leveller.

It almost proved a moment of supreme triumph for the much-maligned Robbie Fowler, whose sharp turn and exquisite chip should have silenced his critics, but instead came back off the bar for Murphy to head past a grounded Nigel Martyn.

Other than that though, Fowler and England sidekick Emile Heskey barely looked like breaking down a defence that had been breached just twice in their previous seven unbeaten games.

Kewell salutes his strike

In fairness Leeds hardly gave Jerzy Dudek his busiest afternoon since joining Liverpool, but did make the crucial breakthrough midway through a first half they just about edged.

There appeared little danger as Eirik Bakke miscued a back-post header at a corner but as Liverpool waited for the ball to roll out of play, Rio Ferdinand salvaged it and scooped the ball to the back post where Gary McAllister's hashed header fell perfectly for Kewell to drill home with the aid of a deflection.

Other than that, and a couple of lively bursts from Robbie Keane, Leeds were restricted to long-range efforts yet must still have been the happier come the half-time whistle.

The second half had to be more lively and once Murphy had headed his side level, both sides created chances to take all three points.

Litmanen and Jon Arne Riise both went close for the home side, while the mercurial Kewell dragged just wide after a dazzling run and Keane forced Dudek into an instinctive block with his legs - and could well have won a penalty after being pulled back by Sami Hyypia.

And with time running out, Lee Bowyer could have snatched his second Anfield winner in successive appearances but drove inches over the bar after a neat knock-down by the otherwise anonymous Mark Viduka.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Olivier Dacourt (Leeds) - Quick feet, quality passing, the Frenchman was back in the Leeds engine room and won the battle with Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy (Barmby 90), McAllister (Redknapp 75), Gerrard, Smicer, Fowler, Heskey (Litmanen 45).
Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Wright.
Booked: Hyypia, Murphy, Gerrard.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Matteo, Ferdinand, Harte, Bakke, Dacourt, Bowyer, Kewell, Keane (Batty 88), Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Woodgate, Robinson, Smith.
Booked: Mills, Bakke.

Att: 44,352
Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).