Liverpool had all the posession last night and controlled the game but found it hard to create that killer opening and get the goal their dominance deserved. Dirk Kuyt came closest in the first half when he hit the post with David James well beaten after ten minutes.
Lucas Levia headed over from a Jermaine Pennant cross moments later and Ryan Babel kept trying to force the issue over on the left. Gerrard also tried to play in a few clever through passes but with Fernando Torres and Robbe Keane both missing the Reds' attack was blunted.
After the break Liverpool continued to press with Sami Hyypia heading narrowly wide from a corner and Kuyt again shooting wide after subsitute Yossi Benayoun had played him in.
Benayoun then had the best chance of the half to date; Gerrard's through ball played him into the 18 yard box, one on one with James but the Israeli dawdled on the ball allowing a defender to get back and deflect his shot wide for a corner.
The pressure finally told on Pompey fifteen minutes from the end. A corner heading towards Hyypia was slapped away by the hand of Papa Bouba Diop and the referee pointed to the spot. Steven Gerrard made no mistake to put Liverpool in front.
The goal finally brought Portsmouth to life as an attacking force; the last fifteen minutes saw them throw plenty of balls into the box in the direction of Peter Crouch but with Hyypia in good form the Reds saw the game out and took the points.