Milan Baros raised the temperature at Anfield with a goal ten minutes into the second half, but a late equaliser by Didier Drogba means that, if Liverpool are to retain any hope of winning the Uefa Cup, they must do it the hard way, in a white-hot atmosphere at the Stade Vélodrome on March 25.
Happiest of all, perhaps, was Fabien Barthez, who made a successful return to England two months after leaving Manchester United on loan. In truth, the goalkeeper was a spectator for much of the game, devoting most of his energy to trying to avoid frostbite on an evening that may have reassured him that his temporary exile in the South of France has its advantages. But he did make two saves from Steven Gerrard and Baros in the closing minutes to deny Liverpool a second goal that Houllier admitted would have flattered them.
“I don’t think we played particularly well,” the Liverpool manager said. “Marseilles frustrated us, with ten men behind the ball, and it was difficult to break them down. We scored a goal, but unfortunately we couldn’t keep the lead. It’s not an undeserved draw for them. We know we can play better than we did tonight.”
If Liverpool are to triumph in Marseilles, a vast improvement on their performance last night is needed. With the honourable and habitual exception of Gerrard, they were hugely disappointing in midfield, while Baros, for all his energetic running, and Michael Owen were not operating on the same wavelength in attack. Most alarming of all was the lack of assurance in defence, where the once-formidable partnership of Stephane Henchoz and Sami Hyypia contrived to give Chris Kirkland a busy evening in goal.
Kirkland was called into action by Steve Marlet, the former Fulham forward, in only the second minute, but he was given a more searching examination after 12 minutes as Marseilles, enjoying the majority of possession, continued to chip away at a home defence that had kept just one clean sheet in the previous seven matches. Marlet produced a deft pass over the heads of Henchoz and Hyypia, forcing the Liverpool goalkeeper to rush out bravely to deny Drogba, who appeared to come out worse from their high-speed collision.
Only once in the first 45 minutes did Liverpool threaten and even then only slightly. The otherwise disappointing Danny Murphy showed great vision in a crowded penalty area to pick out Harry Kewell, whose cross was directed towards goal by Owen but without the power needed to beat Barthez. As much as he strove, particularly in the second half, it was an effort that summed up both Owen’s evening and his season, with his latest blank leaving him with just three goals in 16 matches since he suffered a hamstring injury in October.
Greater urgency was needed and it was supplied, inevitably, by Gerrard as he forced the breakthrough ten minutes into the second half.
Sensing a loss of concentration in the home defence, the captain showed great athleticism to turn Owen’s overhit pass into a good one and then, rather than allow Barthez to field the ball, he continued to drive forward, resulting in a heavy collision with the goalkeeper. The ball ran loose and Baros was the quickest to react, stroking it into the net despite the attentions of Abdoulaye Meite.
Liverpool’s comfort, though, was short-lived. Unsure whether to push for a second goal or to consolidate their lead, they succeeded in doing neither, allowing Marseilles to reclaim the initiative. After 78 minutes, a harmless up-and-under from Camel Meriem, the substitute, caused untold panic in the home defence and when the ball landed, Drogba popped up between Henchoz and Hyypia to shoot past Kirkland.
There were no jeers at the final whistle, evidence that the anti-Houllier hysteria has subsided, but the Liverpool manager needs success in Marseilles if the respite is to be more than temporary.