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Liverpool missed out on the chance to move up to sixth in the Premier League table after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Not even the return of Luis Suarez was enough to stop the Reds sharing the points on their own turf for an eighth time in 12 league games this season.

The stalemate means that Liverpool remain in seventh place, where they are now one point behind Arsenal. Tottenham remain in third following their first goalless draw of the season, five points behind Manchester United and seven short of leaders Manchester City.

This match had been circled in the calendar for many weeks by Liverpool fans because it marked the return from suspension of Suarez. The Uruguay forward was eligible to play for the Reds for the first time since Boxing Day after he completed his eight-match suspension.

However, it looked for a time as though he would again be denied the right to play as a thick fog settled over Anfield which threatened to see the match postponed. Referee Michael Oliver ruled the game could go ahead, but the conditions on a wintry evening in England were enough to make Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp miss the game as his flight from London was cancelled.

Mercifully the fog lifted as kick-off approached, giving all of Anfield a better chance to catch a glimpse of Suarez on the bench and for a phalanx of photographers to snap England manager Fabio Capello in the stand.

Spurs came into this fixture with a host of key players missing, although they were least affected by their absentees at the back as Michael Dawson and Ledley King started together for the first time this season.

Dawson had the Anfield crowd on their feet in the opening five minutes when he felled Andy Carroll with a sliding tackle inside the box after a weighted pass from Steven Gerrard, but Oliver correctly saw that it was a fine challenge from the Spurs defender.

Last Tuesday saw Everton's match with Manchester City at Goodison Park stopped due to a man handcuffing himself to a goalpost, and less than a week later another match on Merseyside was halted by a pitch invader when a cat ran on to the field. The ash grey feline scampered across the turf and past a bemused Brad Friedel before a steward calmly gathered it up.

That intrusion proved to be the main talking point of a first half in which both sides passed the ball around well in midfield but were largely unable to trouble the opposition keeper.

Jay Spearing had one fearsome strike from range but the ball swerved wide and struck the stanchion behind the net. The Liverpool midfielder still awaits his first goal for the club.

Glen Johnson forced a save from Friedel's legs just before half-time, but there was little to separate the two teams at the break.

The home crowd were made to wait for Suarez to be introduced as neither side made a change at the break.

Martin Kelly stung the palms of Friedel from range near the hour mark, but the game was given a big lift when Suarez did eventually make his entrance on 66 minutes.

He appeared to have lost none of his livewire movement or cunning guile during his absence as he was immediately involved, though the more infamous side of his game also emerged soon enough as he earned a booking for a boot to the midriff of Scott Parker less than five minutes after coming on.

Another Liverpool booking soon afterwards went to Martin Skrtel when the Slovakian defender lunged in with a challenge that caught Gareth Bale on the shin. Other officials may have seen that incident differently.

Carroll fired over the bar when he should have at least tested Friedel before Suarez was the most striking example of a Liverpool player who failed to meet a good delivery with a dangerous header.

Bale - who had earlier earned a booking for an act of simulation - could have won the game for Spurs when he beat the offside trap with five minutes remaining. The Welshman was one-on-one with Pepe Reina but the decision to finish through the Spaniard's legs was the wrong call.

With Suarez back among their ranks Liverpool can have fresh cause for optimism, but the fact they had 15 shots against Spurs and were once again unable to find a winner will be of great cause for concern.

Luis Suarez answered his critics with the winning goal as a profligate Liverpool side beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at Anfield to move into the top six of the Premier League.

The Uruguayan forward was hit with a second FA charge this week for allegedly making an offensive hand gesture to Fulham fans, adding to his ongoing defence against an accusation of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

It looked like his bad week may continue as Suarez missed several gilt-edged opportunities, while team-mate Maxi Rodriguez was denied a hat-trick by some excellent goalkeeping by Radek Cerny.

But Suarez’s flicked header early in the second half proved sufficient for a wasteful Reds side to get past a plucky Hoops team, who offered little going forward and were spared a thrashing by some resolute if haphazard defending and the excellence of reserve keeper Cerny.

Kenny Dalglish’s side move into the top six, ahead of a sliding Newcastle, while QPR stay lower-mid table.

The first half was predictably all Liverpool with QPR limited to a couple of half-chances from range that did not come close to testing Pepe Reina.

Just as predictably though the Reds struggled to find the net - Andy Carroll had been left out of the starting XI, so it was Suarez this time lacking in end-product.

The Uruguay forward is as temperamental as he is talented, a lack of focus that applies to both finishing and decision-making - before the match he had the lowest conversion ratio of Premier League forwards who have scored three or more goals, that statistic of under eight per cent as much a result of attempting the spectacular as it is a lack of composure in front of goal.

From eight yards he headed straight at veteran Czech keeper Cerny when found unmarked by a superb Stewart Downing cross, and soon afterwards he drilled a shot across goal and wide from a tight angle when Dirk Kuyt and Maxi were free.

Suarez did exactly the same again late in the half, although that time the chance came about when his initial finish was well-saved by Cerny at the near post, while the former Ajax forward skewed a finish embarrassingly wide after he was set up by Maxi.

Argentine attacking midfielder Maxi - restored to the starting line-up with Jordan Henderson moved inside following injuries to Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, and Jay Spearing's suspension - had a low curling finish well-saved by Cerny, who again showed smart reflexes to keep out Downing’s effort after the England winger was played in by a clever Kuyt backheel.

Somehow it remained goalless at half-time, although that changed almost immediately after the break.

Early in the second half Liverpool won a corner, which the visitors initially defended: the second ball saw Charlie Adam glide in a great cross, with Luke Young dragged woefully out of position to allow Suarez a free header that this time he buried from close range.

Things got worse for QPR though as Anton Ferdinand, who had been by far their most capable defender, went off with a thigh injury after over-stretching while evading an Adam tackle.

Liverpool continued to pepper QPR’s overworked penalty area, with Maxi denied what looked a certain goal by a remarkable save from Cerny, wrongfooted but able to readjust and tip his low finish off the post.

The impressive Cerny made another superb stop from the increasingly exasperated Maxi, spreading himself to block his close-range finish after a succession of one-twos with Suarez played the ex-Atletico Madrid man through.

Such escapes gave QPR a chance to snatch a barely-deserved equaliser, and they almost did so when Danny Gabbidon poked a pinpoint free-kick from Joey Barton wide, while a succession of corners tested the home defence.

Indeed, going a goal down was the best thing that happened to Rangers, who bossed the latter stages although admittedly without forcing any saves of note from Reina.

The counter attack actually suited Liverpool, as Suarez felt Bradley Orr had handled his ball in the box, while substitute Craig Bellamy curled a long-range free-kick into the side netting and QPR winger Shaun Wright-Phillips almost scored a spectacular own-goal as he mis-kicked Bellamy’s cross against his own bar.

As it happened there was not too much for the hosts to worry about as they saw out three minutes of stoppage time to hold on to a victory that snaps a poor home streak of four draws on the trot.

Fulham brought 10-man Liverpool’s eight-game undefeated streak in the league to an end with a 1-0 victory in an exciting Monday night encounter at Craven Cottage. 

Clint Dempsey tucked home the only goal of the game five minutes from time after Pepe Reina had spilled a distance effort from home captain and former Liverpool player Danny Murphy. 

Kenny Dalgish’s men hit the post once in each half thanks to quality efforts from Jordan Henderson and substitute Stewart Downing, but lost midfielder Jay Spearing 18 minutes from time for a two-footed lunge on Moussa Dembele

The dismissal sparked a late surge from the Whites, with Dempsey hitting the woodwork himself in the 80th minute before finally clinching a win for Martin Jol’s side which pulls them further away from the relegation zone. 

The two sides contested one of the choice games of last season in this very fixture back in May, and going down to a 5-2 home defeat will have played on the minds of the West Londoners and they looked determined to make amends from the outset. 

Indeed, the first real chance of the game came the hosts’ way on six minutes when Bryan Ruiz’s through pass from the left put Dembele one-on-one with Reina. 

But the goalkeeper timed his rush off the goal line perfectly and made himself big enough to block the Belgian’s strike, with Stephen Kelly closing down a Charlie Adam effort as Liverpool countered. 

Two minutes later, it was the turn of Reina’s opposite number Mark Schwarzer to pull off a similar block to deny Andy Carroll from converting Luis Suarez’s low cross. 

Dembele tested Reina again on 17, despite protests of a handball as he controlled before turning and unleashing a killer low 20-yarder to force a parry. 

Jordan Henderson’s exquisite chipped finish off the outside of his boot on 28 minutes at the end of a dazzling dribble would have made many a goal of the month competition had it not come back off the far post with Schwarzer left stranded. 

As the tempo remained breakneck, both sides looked as likely as the other to draw first blood and if it were
not for a vital sliding block by Brede Hangeland, Carroll would have done just that from another fine Suarez centre. 

Though the early stages of the second period could not hold a candle to the frenetic action of the first, the temperature went back up around the hour mark with counter after counter seeing Bobby Zamora and Craig Bellamy have shots closed down. 

Suarez’s run to try and beat the offside trap on 66 was every bit as delightful as the chipped assist into the danger zone he met from the foot of Jose Enrique, only for the assistant referee to decide he had indeed strayed beyond Hangeland just before putting the ball in the Fulham net. 

Six minutes later and the complexity of the game change, as despite Spearing winning the ball with his challenge on Dembele, his other leg came in dangerously behind the first causing him to virtually drop-kick the legs out from underneath the striker. 

Referee Kevin Friend did not hesitate to reach for his red card, and the home side were presented with a golden opportunity to search for three points against their fancied opponents. 

The best example of this came 10 minutes from time when Ruiz capped some majestic Whites passing with a short ball into the box on which Dempsey turned, faked Johnson into a red-faced stumble and chipped a wonderful finish onto the crossbar. 

After Dembele had fired at Reina as well as wide within a matter of minutes, it was Downing’s turn to find the woodwork after breaking loose from a crowd of three defenders to curl onto the near post.

But 60 seconds later, a breakaway from Fulham led to a corner which found its way back to taker Murphy, who cut inside his man and saw his low drive atypically spilled by Reina. 

Dempsey, a handful all game, was first to the loose ball and the struggling Londoners had the lead. 

And despite late substitutions and an injury to Murphy dragging three minutes of added time out to six, Fulham cleared a late barrage of crosses into their box – and almost added some gloss to the scoreline through Andy Johnson – to hold on and earn a priceless three points.

Liverpool's run of four straight wins was brought to an end after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Wigan Athletic at Anfield in the Premier League.

Raul Meireles scored his fifth goal in his last six matches to open the scoring midway through the first half, only for Steve Gohouri to level halfway through the second.

The solitary point is not enough to lift the Latics out of the bottom three, as Wolves were the only team in the bottom half of the table to lose.

Luis Suarez at times dazzled the home crowd with his skills on his full Anfield debut - the Uruguayan was involved in most of Liverpool's best moves forward - although he also displayed his propensity for going to ground with only the slightest encouragement, something which will not win him too many admirers away from Merseyside.

Liverpool just about deserved their lead, although Wigan offered plenty going forward in an open first half.

Charles N'Zogbia weaved his way into the box and fired wide of the far post before Maxi Rodriguez laid off Meireles's pass into the path of Dirk Kuyt, who forced a regulation stop from Ali Al-Habsi.

Meireles struck on 24 minutes when Fabio Aurelio's cross deflected off a Wigan player and dropped perfectly for the Portuguese to strike a crisp volley that beat Al-Habsi. That strike means Meireles has already registered more league goals in this campaign than any other in his career. His haul is even more impressive considering that all of those goals have come within the last month.

Suarez almost doubled Liverpool's lead soon after the restart when he bent an effort off the far post, before Meireles flashed a shot wide from range.

However, Wigan continued to press their hosts without creating many clear chances. Victor Moses worked tirelessly down the left flank while N'Zogbia hit a well-struck free-kick too close to Pepe Reina.

The second half maintained the same pattern, with Suarez drawing a foul and a booking from Antolin Alcaraz on the edge of the box. Aurelio fired the subsequent free-kick over the bar.

Soon afterwards, on 65 minutes, Wigan were level. Kuyt managed to clear the immediate danger from a corner, but N'Zogbia was allowed the time and curl in a dangerous cross that Gohouri prodded past Reina for his first goal since May 2010.

With Meireles now off the field, Maxi took charge of free-kick duties, firing one over the bar and rattling the frame of the goal with another.

Tom Cleverley's introduction briefly boosted Wigan's hopes of scoring a winner, but it was Liverpool who spurned most of the opportunities to claim victory with Maxi, Aurelio and Glen Johnson all firing efforts off target.

Fernando Torres had a Chelsea debut to forget as his new club were beaten 1-0 by former employers Liverpool in the Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

After a week of expectation surrounding the Spain striker's British record move to west London, it was Raul Meireles who was the hero thanks to his 69th-minute strike which sealed fourth-straight win for Kenny Dalglish's side and a league double for the Reds over their rivals from the capital.

The fact that Liverpool managed the victory without either of their own big-money signings in action will make victory all the sweeter. Andy Carroll is still missing through injury, while Luis Suarez was an unused substitute. Chelsea's other major January addition, David Luiz, was introduced after his new team were already behind.

The win moves Liverpool up to sixth in the table, while Chelsea remain fourth and 10 points behind leaders Manchester United following their defeat at Wolves on Saturday.

With all the attention focused on Torres's debut against his former club, and following an extraordinary set of results from Saturday's fixtures, it was perhaps no surprise that much of this clash was something of an anti-climax.

The recent history between these two clubs has served up its fair share of thrilling encounters, but equally there have been several damp squibs, and this match largely fell into the latter category.

However, Liverpool fans will not care about that after Torres had his inauspicious first appearance ended when he was substituted on 66 minutes, having had just 29 touches of the ball.

Even when freed from the restraints of trying to accommodate their new acquisition, Chelsea's attack continued to lack potency and invention as they struggled to find ways through Liverpool's five-man defence.

It looked as though Torres's Chelsea career was set to get off to a dream start when, in the second minute, Maxi Rodriguez played the ball right to the feet of his former team-mate. Torres headed for goal but, with Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in front of him, he could bend his shot off target.

The returning Carragher, making his first appearance since November, was the bookies' favourite to foul Torres first, but it was Daniel Agger who took that dubious honour when he barged the Spaniard over midway through the half. The resulting free-kick led to a corner from which Branislav Ivanovic glanced wide.

Soon afterwards Didier Drogba played Torres through and the £50 million man got in behind Skrtel to shoot on the turn, but his strike was blocked by the diving Carragher.

Maxi's day went from bad to worse when Steven Gerrard's dangerous low ball across the six-yard box was turned on to the bar by the Argentine midfielder from point-blank range with the goal at his mercy.

The second half again failed to ignite, with clear chances few and far between. Glen Johnson fired a shot from range wide before Drogba had an effort inside the box blocked by Martin Kelly and Anelka fired wide from distance.

Torres's poor afternoon was ended on 66 minutes when he was replaced by Salomon Kalou, and he had barely got settled on his new team's bench when Liverpool went in front.

Petr Cech and Ivanovic had been at each other's throats in the first half when they got in each other's way trying to clear the ball, and their poor communication cost them a goal and ultimately the match. Both players left it to the other to deal with Gerrard's cross and the ball run between them and through to Meireles who finished to score his fourth goal in his last five games. It was the first league goal scored by a Liverpool player at Stamford Bridge since Bruno Cheyrou's strike in 2004.

The visiting fans, who had brought banners bearing slogans such as "He Who Betrays Will Always Walk Alone" and "Torres: a pawn on our chess board but the King remains", goaded their former idol with chants of "Torres, what's the score?", and Chelsea were unable to stem the abuse aimed at the bench by finding an equaliser.

The closest they came was when Anelka played through substitute Florent Malouda, whose shot at the near post was parried by Reina, and their desperate claims for a late penalty when Ivanovic was barged over by Johnson were ignored by the referee.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti vented his frustration at the fourth official, but he has now been left in no doubt about the task on his hands in fitting his new marquee signing into his team.