READING, December 8 - Liverpool began their most important week of the season with a defeat at Reading which suggests the Barclays Premier League title will once again be heading away from Anfield this season.
Rafael Benitez's side must now fight for their Champions League lives in Marseille on Tuesday night before having their domestic credentials put under intense scrutiny again by Manchester United at the weekend.
Reading recorded their first victory against one of the so-called 'big four' thanks to a Stephen Hunt penalty and second-half strikes from Kevin Doyle and James Harper.
All Liverpool had to take away from Berkshire was Steven Gerrard's equaliser but referee Andre Marriner also had a big part to play in the proceedings.
The official - who had sent off Chelsea's Michael Essien at Derby in his previous top-flight game - appeared to have called the Reading penalty incorrectly and also failed to spot two occasions when Liverpool should have been awarded spot-kicks.
Liverpool should have been ahead in the seventh minute and it was a surprise when Fernando Torres, who had hit a hat-trick on this ground in a Carling Cup tie in September, could not accept a simple chance.
John Arne Riise's long-throw eluded Ibrahima Sonko as he jumped with Peter Crouch and the Spaniard was left with the simple task of slotting past goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. Instead he allowed the American to parry.
Reading seized on the let-off and produced their finest 20 minutes of the season so far, attacking their opponents with the verve that had served them so well in the previous two campaigns but had been replaced by self-doubt during this one.
Their goal needed a large slice of fortune, however, as referee Marriner, having consulted a flag-waving linesman, called Jamie Carragher's felling of Brynjar Gunnarsson wrongly as the pair thundered to the brink of the Liverpool box.
There was no question that the Icelander had been impeded but replays suggested contact had been made just outside the box and Carragher howled his displeasure.
Hunt despatched the penalty with panache, however, and Reading continued to attack, with a Bobby Convey drive beating Jose Reina and only just clearing his crossbar.
Reading's previous frailties were not long in reappearing and Gerrard took full advantage to put his side on level terms in the 28th minute.
Torres eluded Sonko to take down a long ball and quickly set up his skipper with a sideways pass. Gerrard had little difficulty shrugging off Hunt's challenge to reach the box and slot past the exposed Hahnemann.
That deflated Reading but fortune favoured them again when Liverpool were denied a much stronger penalty shout than the one previously given to the hosts.
Ivar Ingimarsson's header straight to Gerrard not only surrendered possession cheaply but also allowed Torres to move swiftly into space and when Sonko stuck out a boot in the box he tumbled. But play was allowed to continue.
Andriy Voronin fired in a couple of snapshots from the right of the box as Liverpool ended the half in the ascendancy, but when Momo Sissoko went down in the box under yet another strong Sonko challenge, again no penalty was awarded.
Reading began the second period on the back foot and there was a let-off when Torres sent a diving header across goal after Nicky Shorey's error had allowed Crouch to fire in a cross from the right.
The home defence then made a hash of their offside trap before yet another penalty decision went their way.
Torres's trailing leg was clearly caught by Sonko and this time the Spaniard also appeared to have been hurt. Again television replays confirmed contact had been made.
If the home fans sensed it was to be their night, Doyle gave them concrete proof on the hour by sending a glancing header past Reina to put Reading back in front.
Gerrard had been booked for felling Hunt on the run and when Shorey swung in the free-kick the Republic of Ireland striker lost his marker to produce a slight but perfectly-aimed deflection.
Doyle then fired just over but again Reading were in luck when Gerrard saw a drive smack off the bar seconds before Harper made it 3-1 at the other end.
Convey's pass enabled the hyperactive midfielder to scamper clear of the defence and any fears the home support had that he would be unable to finish were wiped away by a cool side-step to get past Reina and a shot into the empty net.
Harry Kewell, who had come on for Torres, fired a good chance across goal and just wide at the other end.
It just was not Liverpool's day - as Crouch proved again in stoppage time with a drive that beat Hahnemann but rebounded back to the goalkeeper off a post.
