NOT for the first time this season, Liverpool could be accused of getting away with it at the weekend.

But while there was this time no escaping the consequence of an underwhelming performance, it was elsewhere that provided surprising respite for Rafael Benitez’s side.

That this laboured, frustrating blank at home to Fulham represented a missed opportunity is not open to debate.

Chelsea’s simultaneous stalemate at home to Newcastle United had handed Rafael Benitez’s side a clear chance to move back to the top of the table and put daylight between themselves and the rest of the chasing pack.

But with Manchester United also held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa and Arsenal continuing their implosion at Manchester City, no ground was actually lost overall to the main contenders.

That, though, was not the feeling reflected by the disgruntled home faithful that filed out of Anfield on Saturday.

They turned up fully expecting another three points against a team that had avoided defeat in just one of their six away games this season. Instead, they got another Stoke City.

Liverpool’s continued best start to a Premier League campaign has increased expectation among a naturally cautious home support that has seen far too many false dawns than they care to remember.

But while maintaining a genuine championship challenge is unchartered territory for most of Benitez’s squad, it’s not just the players that are receiving an education.

Many supporters inside Anfield these days won’t recall that, even in the heady days of the 70s and 80s, not everything goes to plan. However, their desperation for that coveted 19th crown is becoming dangerously apparent.

The longer Saturday’s game progressed without a goal, so the anxiety grew to the point where it was almost impossible for the players not to feel such negative vibes.

Anfield should be getting used to this kind of encounter and there will without doubt be more to come. Already this season late goals were required to see off stubborn Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic and a double at the death was needed to defeat Middlesbrough.

Patience is a key attribute on such occasions, although home supporters might claim theirs was pushed over the limit by Liverpool’s below-par display.

As against Stoke, Liverpool failed to make the most of their early chances to avoid the second-half anguish in the stands.

Dirk Kuyt scuffed a fourth-minute shot after Fabio Aurelio’s fine pass had released Alvaro Arbeloa to find the Dutchman, but an even better chance was spurned when Jamie Carragher’s cross, via deflections off a defender and Lucas Leiva, arrived invitingly at the feet of Robbie Keane who, with only Mark Schwarzer to beat, thumped the ball against the Fulham goalkeeper’s face.

While not as glaring as his opportunity at the Reebok the previous week, it was still a poor miss. Despite his two goals against West Bromwich Albion, Keane is still searching for confidence and he worryingly retreated out of view after his aberration.

Results such as Saturday’s are bound to cast doubt on Liverpool’s championship credentials and the depth of the squad, given Gerrard’s absence with the groin problem that caused such a furore among the England camp last week.

That the Anfield skipper was the only one of the eight cry-offs from Fabio Capello’s squad to not play over the weekend will only heighten Benitez’s desire for an apology from the national team.

With Gerrard unavailable, the benching of Xabi Alonso was a curious one, even if the Spaniard had played a full 90 minutes for his country in midweek.

Lucas and Javier Mascherano is not the most creative central midfield pairing and, with Albert Riera and a tired Dirk Kuyt below par on the flanks, Keane and Fernando Torres lacked any consistent service.

Lucas is becoming a concern. It is difficult to see where he fits into Benitez’s midfield thinking, given he lacks the dominance of Mascherano, the vision of Alonso and the drive of Gerrard.

That, however, was no excuse for the murmurs of discontent that greeted the Brazilian’s every mistake and the jeers that met the decision to replace Mascherano and not his South American colleague when Alonso was belatedly introduced.

To be fair, as Benitez pointed out afterwards, the emergence of Alonso, which was being called for by supporters even before half-time, made little difference to Liverpool’s stilted approach.

International fixtures have become a bugbear to Benitez and, although the same applies for every team, it was obvious that many of Liverpool’s players who had turned out for their country in midweek were lacking an edge to their game.

Credit, though, must go to Fulham. Neat, compact and well organised by wily manager Roy Hodgson, the Cottagers weren’t content to simply sit back and defend and employed two strikers, Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora, whose pace kept the Liverpool defence on their toes all afternoon.

Fulham, unlucky to lose at Everton at fortnight ago, this time earned a deserved reward and indeed shaded the first half, Pepe Reina required to make a fine save to paw away Jimmy Bullard’s 20-yard drive after Zamora had cut through the Liverpool left.

And not without reason do the Londoners boast a defensive record bettered only by the top three.

Fulham centre-back Brede Hangeland may not be the most elegant of footballers, but he led by example when Benitez’s side finally gathered some momentum after the interval.

Even when Liverpool did manage to find a way through, goalkeeper Schwarzer was having one of his more inspired afternoons, making second-half saves to deny Torres and Kuyt.

Torres hasn’t scored at Anfield since May and, intent on altering that statistic on his first Premier League start in seven weeks following a hamstring problem, was by far Liverpool’s most potent forward threat.

Jamie Carragher, skipper for the afternoon, was solid in defence against the lively Johnson and Zamora, but otherwise too many home players failed to maintain their levels of recent weeks.

While this setback may not have led to lost ground in the championship race, Liverpool will know their rivals are unlikely to be so accommodating next time.