A disappointing midweek result for Liverpool was compounded with a draw against fellow Premiership strugglers Middlesbrough - another game they should have won.
Both team looked lack-lustre owing to the early kick-off and Liverpool played like their FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace still haunted them.
And with manager Gerard Houllier a notable absentee with gastroenteritis, Liverpool's cutting edge again deserted them.
The Reds carved out far more chances than Middlesbrough but failed to capitalise on them.
John Arne Riise hammered in a left-footed piledriver in the 16th minute which was easily saved by Mark Schwarzer while Sami Hyypia whistled a powerful header just wide of the upright 13 minutes later.
But Liverpool could not finish any chances and against the run of play, in Middlesbrough's first attack, Geremi rifled in a spectacular free kick.
Dietmar Hamann fouled the lively Jonathan Greening on the edge of his own box in the 37th minute. Geremi stepped up and bent his free kick up and around the wall beating Jerzy Dudek at the near post.
Michael Owen spurned Liverpool's best chance in the first half coming nowhere near to ending his goal drought.
However, in the 51st minute Owen created a chance out of nothing and chipped a delightful shot from the edge of the box that forced Schwarzer to tip over for a corner.
The introduction of Milan Baros for the injured Emile Heskey brought new vigour to Liverpool's attack but Middlesbrough defended deep leaving new signings Michael Ricketts and Malcolm Christie alone up front.
A stubborn Boro side were eventually broken down with a brilliant run and cross by England striker Owen, showing that his skill and pace might make up for a lack of goals.
He beat three defenders with a dazzling run into the box and then slid a pass to Riise who finished neatly in the 73rd minute.
Both sides had late chances to claim all three points as the game fizzled into life late in the second half.
But a resilient Middlesbrough defence stood firm against a barrage of corners deep into injury time to share the points.