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Premier League, Anfield - Liverpool 0 Stoke 0.

Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Stoke at Anfield in a bruising Premier League encounter.

The Reds have won just two league games at Anfield in 2012 and the reasons were there for all to see, with a distinct lack of cutting edge despite dominating possession, especially in the second half.

Stoke made things difficult with some heavy challenges and barely emerged from their half in the second period, but Liverpool were unable to find the form in front of goal they displayed against Norwich last weekend.

Liverpool made eight changes from the midweek Europa League defeat to Udinese, reverting to the side that won 5-2 at Carrow Road with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez coming back in.

Stoke also kept faith with the 11 men who won in the Premier League a week ago in their 2-0 home victory over Swansea.

The match was fraught from the off, with Stoke applying pressure to the Reds' passing game high up the pitch.

As early as the third minute a loose back pass from Nuri Sahin put former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam in, with Pepe Reina making a sharp save with his legs.

Moments later Suarez was livid after Stoke centre-half Robert Huth clearly stamped on him following an aerial challenge but escaped without punishment. He exacted revenge shortly afterwards, also avoiding a booking despite clumping into the German late.

Liverpool were again exposed on 20 minutes when a risky pass out from Reina allowed Michael Kightly to lift a chip over him, but the agile Spain keeper flew back to tip over.

Time and again Brendan Rodgers's men insisted on playing the ball out from the back, but they were continually cut short by late challenges from an over-zealous Stoke.

Huth somehow avoided a booking again after a rugby-style tackle on Suarez but eventually followed Kightly into the referee's notebook for upending the Uruguayan striker as he raced away on the counter.

Gerrard saw a 'Hollywood' strike tipped wide of the near post by Asmir Begovic while Daniel Agger almost poked home a Suso dink into the box. That was as good as it got for the Reds in the first half, while Suarez was accused of kicking out after Begovic got to the ball first moments before the whistle. He seemed to be going for the ball.

The pressure on the Stoke goal at the Kop end was relentless from the restart. A superb sliding challenge from Ryan Shawcross denied a Gerrard pull-back after he exchanged passes with Suarez to attack the byline.

Glen Johnson, operating at left-back, was picked out by a pinpoint Gerrard diagonal ball but shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy, then Begovic slid out to kick clear another low ball into the danger area from deep from the home skipper.

Suarez produced the most exciting moment of the match on the hour mark as he accelerated from halfway and panicked several Stoke defenders with his mazy dribbling before slicing wide of the near post from inside the box.

After teenager Raheem Sterling placed a side-footed finish against the outside of the post when it was begging to be cracked across goal, Suarez also fired against the outside of the post - but the home fans never seemed convinced that their men would produce the goal they craved.

And when Martin Skrtel could only flick a Gerrard free kick across goal with Shawcross grounded, the goalless draw was all but confirmed.

Shawcross, former Liverpool midfielder Adam, Jonathan Walters and Dean Whitehead would all also be shown yellow cards before the end in a solid - if not particularly admirable - rearguard effort from Tony Pulis's men.

Meanwhile Suarez did not cover himself in glory with a pathetic dive in the box after minimal contact from Marc Wilson.

Liverpool are 14th in the table, two places below Stoke.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) – A giant throughout and despite the booking didn't resort to some of the more unsavoury tactics employed by Stoke.

Premier League, Britannia Stadium - Stoke City 1 (Crouch, 15) Manchester City (Javi Garcia, 35).

Peter Crouch scored with the aid of his hand to help Stoke City hold Premier League champions Manchester City 1-1 at the Britannia Stadium.

The former England striker managed to give City central defenders Joleon Lescott and Vicent Kompany the slip on 15 minutes before planting the ball beyond Joe Hart for the opening goal.

Television replays showed Crouch had clearly handled the ball to control it with referee Mark Clattenburg apparently unsighted. It was a bit different from the stunning volley he hoisted into the City net last season that earned him a goal of the season nomination, but this one could prove every bit as significant.

“If you want to start with the first goal we should talk about the NBA not football,” Roberto Mancini told reporters after the match.

“I didn’t see from the bench but I saw all my players talk to the referee, the incredible thing is that the referee was behind Crouch.

“Sometimes it can happen when the handball is not voluntary but not today."

Crouch has now scored three times in his last six outings against City in the Premier League.

Mancini's side were the better side for long periods of the first half and deservedly equalised when debutant Javi Garcia popped up unmarked to head home from Carlos Tevez's free kick on 35 minutes. It was his first goal in a City shirt since his £18 million move from Benfica.

The midfielder almost won it in the dying seconds when he met substitute David Silva's corner kick with another powerful header, but this time Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic dived to make the stop with the ball coming back off a post and into his arms.

Tony Pulis's Stoke were worthy of their point on energy alone after being outpassed for large swathes of the afternoon, but were almost undone in the final seconds of stoppage time when Begovic dashed crazily from his line to challenge Edin Dzeko, who had replaced Mario Balotelli only seconds earlier.

Dzeko managed to lift the ball over the dashing Begovic, but Ryan Shawcross produced a marvellous piece of defending to sprint back and hook the ball off his line as it looked set to nestle in his net.

It was a thrilling piece of defending with the Manchester City supporters behind the goal cutting bemused figures as they prepared to revel in three points.

Michael Owen made his debut for Stoke in the closing seconds as he replaced Crouch, who had done his work for the day by scoring with a goal that should have been disallowed.

Tevez enjoyed a decent outing for City before somewhat strangely being replaced by Gareth Barry on 64 minutes. He walloped a shot narrowly wide on four minutes with Balotelli doing likewise 17 minutes later.

Begovic swiped a shot by Maicon wide on 35 minutes before saving from Balotelli with another smart piece of handling skills.

Stoke managed to enjoy more meaningful moments in the second period, but the home side continued to rely on Begovic to protect their point as he came up with saves from Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri three minutes from time that were above average.

Manchester City have now failed to win in all five Premier League visits to Stoke, drawing each of their last four 1-1.

Stoke nor Crouch looked too embarrassed when the final whistle sounded.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Asmir Begovic (Stoke City) – Produced vital saves at vital times to earn Stoke a point from the contest. Was at fault in the dying seconds when he dashed from his line to confront Edin Dzeko, but that should not detract from a fine piece of all-round goalkeeping.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first defeat in 12 Premier League games when they were beaten 2-1 by Stoke City in a thrilling and controversial match at the Britannia Stadium.

Former Spurs player Matthew Etherington scored twice in the first half with two goals that came as a result of the Potters' trademark long throws. The club's main exponent of those set plays, Rory Delap, was not playing, but in his stead Ryan Shotton provided the airborne assault that led to Tony Pulis getting the better of his former manager Harry Redknapp.

Emmanuel Adebayor pulled a goal back for Spurs after half-time from the penalty spot, but their hopes of claiming a result were hit when Younes Kaboul was sent off with eight minutes remaining for a second bookable offence.

The visitors had several appeals for handball in the box turned down, but referee Chris Foy declined to give Spurs a second spot-kick.

Stoke's third win in a row sees them move up to eighth in the table, while Tottenham remain five points behind second-placed Manchester United after a run of six consecutive wins was brought to an end.

Stoke showed signs of what was to come as early as the first minute when the first of Shotton's long throws was headed away by Benoit Assou-Ekotto but only as far as Etherington, whose volley was scrambled away by goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The visitors were tested again on 13 minutes, and this time Etherington got his first goal since Stoke's 5-0 thrashing of Bolton in last season's FA Cup semi-final. Spurs dealt with the initial throw but it was enough to see them unable to regain their shape before Shotton sent in the second ball. Peter Crouch - one of four ex-Spurs players in the Stoke squad - shielded the ball near the byline before sneaking it through Friedel's legs allowing Etherington to finish from close range.

Tottenham began to play their way into the match but were for the most part unable to break through Stoke's resolute back line. Any aerial deliveries were swatted away with ease thanks to the Potters' significant height advantage, while the supply line to lone striker Adebayor was largely cut off.

The Londoners' best chance came from distance when Luka Modric had a drilled effort from 25 yards tipped around the foot of the post by Thomas Sorensen.

Etherington then doubled his team's lead just before half-time, and this time the long throw was even more influential. Jonathan Walters flicked Shotton's delivery on and Etherington miscued his first-time shot, but it was still enough to loop over the helpless Friedel.

Redknapp responded by making two changes at the break - bringing on Jermain Defoe and Sebastien Bassong for Aaron Lennon and Assou-Ekotto. Bassong sent a header over the bar from a corner before Crouch did the same from a Shotton throw.

Spurs were given a lifeline just post the hour mark when Modric invited a challenge from Glenn Whelan in the Stoke box and the Ireland midfielder took the bait. Adebayor scored coolly from the spot to register his fifth goal in his last four games.

Scott Parker forced a decent save from Sorensen and Adebayor curled an effort just wide as Tottenham began to find openings.

With 15 minutes left if what was building to a thrilling climax, referee Foy suddenly became the focus of attention. The official did not see Kaboul's shot clearly rebound off Shawcross's arm on the line, and in the very next phase of play Adebayor had the ball in the net only to be incorrectly ruled offside.

Then, in the final 10 minutes, Kaboul chased desperately after Walters down the left flank and sent him tumbling. Foy had already booked Kaboul for his justified protestations after Shawcross had hauled him over inside the box, and showed the France defender a second yellow for the challenge on Walters.

With Spurs down to 10 men Stoke were able to close out the victory thanks in no small part to the excellent hold-up play of Crouch, who celebrated a second victory at the Britannia over a former club having beaten Liverpool 1-0 back in September.