Liverpool’s stuttering season hit a new low last week when they exited the Carling Cup on penalties to League Two side Northampton Town at Anfield.

And in the week when captain Steven Gerrard appeared to admit that Liverpool’s chances of winning the EPL title had practically gone, the Reds had to rely on a bizarre display from young referee Stewart Atwell for a home point against Sunderland.

With Gerrard rested, Liverpool lost their 100% record in Europa League matches. But despite occasionally riding their luck, Liverpool will have been happy with the clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.

 

Meanwhile, progress towards a club sale continues to be elusive, although managing director Christian Parslow last week moved to reassure supporters that there was no threat of the club gong into administration because of on-going bank debts.

Liverpool fielded a shadow squad last week in the Carling Cup against the Cobblers, completely re-vamping the side which lost 3-2 at Old Trafford the previous Sunday.

Everything seemed to be on-track when Milan Jovanovic scored his first Liverpool goal after only nine minutes.

But the Cobblers levelled and then went ahead in front of the Kop in extra-time before David Ngog’s late header saved Liverpool’s blushes.

However, the respite was temporary as Ngog and teenage substitute Nathan Eccleston missed their shoot-out penalties and Liverpool lost the tie-breaker 4-2.

Gerrard gave newspaper headline writers some creative freedom when he assessed his side’s EPL title prospects.

He said: “Winning the title is a possibility. But realistically, our focus is to finish in the top four.”

This led to conflicting headlines such as “Steven Gerrard: Liverpool will not win the league” and “Gerrard: Liverpool title success still possible.” But Gerrard admitted: “Our target (is) to get back into that top four.”

A freak goal against the Black Cats helped, even though they still could only manage a 2-2 draw.

Fernando Torres picked up possession after Sunderland defender Michael Turner rolled the ball back to keeper Simon Mignolet to take a free-kick.

But referee Attwell allowed Torres to continue and he squared the ball for Dirk Kuyt to mark his return from injury with a goal.

Attwell also waved away penalty appeals when Reds’ keeper Pepe Reina felled Danny Wellbeck in the area. And he only booked Gerrard for elbowing Wellbeck in the face.

In a remarkably frank interview with the club’s web-site, MD Christian Parslow said he “cannot conceive of a situation where Liverpool could go into administration,” even though the club faces an October 15^th deadline to repay £280m to financial institutions including the state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland.

Parlsow added that “Liverpool is a very healthy business…and, when we sell it the debt will go away and will be the most profitable club in the Premier League.”

However, co-owner Tom Hicks remains reluctant to sell without making a profit. And with no bidder seeming prepared to pay that kind of money, the impasse continues.

Liverpool host Blackpool in the EPL this coming Sunday at 3pm.