Utrecht 0 Liverpool 0 ( Europa League Group Stage Matchday 2 ) 30 September 2010....

Liverpool claimed a goalless draw in Utrecht on Thursday evening to remain top of Europa League Group K.
Both sides spurned a host of chances in front of a capacity 25,000 spectators, though memories of a goalline clearance from Raul Meireles and some typical interventions from Pepe Reina may have left Utrecht feeling unlucky not to end the night with a win.
The Reds now have four points from two games ahead of their double header with Napoli.
Roy Hodgson named a near full-strength side for the encounter as he looked to maintain his 100 per cent record in European competition with Liverpool.
Of all his senior stars, only Steven Gerrard was granted a rest, meaning Fernando Torres, Joe Cole and Meireles were all asked to take to the field in an arena where Celtic suffered the ignominy of a 4-0 defeat in August.
While Liverpool enjoyed the early possession, it was the hosts who created the first goalscoring opportunity after capitalising on a loose pass from Christian Poulsen to Lucas. The ball dropped to Ricky van Wolfswinkel, whose finish wasn't worthy of a man with 13 goals in 13 games this term.
Minutes later Edouard Duplan drove wide after being inadvertently teed up by the otherwise excellent Joe Cole, while at the other end the visitors threatened when Glen Johnson got round the back before launching a cross just beyond the clever run of Torres.
Liverpool's first shot on target came on 10 minutes courtesy of Meireles, who failed to make Michel Armond Vorm dive with his 20-yard smack.
Lucas and Cole both hit the hoardings with speculative efforts but there was a scare for the Reds when Jacob Mulenga found himself in a straight race with stand-in left-back Martin Kelly. Thankfully for Liverpool, his shot was tame.
Back on the front foot, Liverpool might have taken the lead when a Johnson cross was met by the head of Meireles on 23 minutes. The Portugal international failed to get enough power behind his nod and in the end it was easy for Vorm.
Instead it was Ton du Chatinier's charges who found the net first midway through the half only for Jan Wuytens's cool volley to be disallowed following a push by Mulenga.
Utrecht looked a match for their prestigious guests and again caused problems for the Liverpool backline when Tim Cornelisse's low cross was fumbled by Reina, who just about recovered in time to block Duplan's follow up.
Torres tried to rouse the men in black with a long-range strike which curled far more than Vorm anticipated before bouncing narrowly wide. There would be further frustration for the Spaniard as the half drew to a close, with Utrecht looking the more likely to muster a breakthrough.
A sloppy pass from Lucas almost left his side in trouble on 35 minutes as Duplan shaped to shoot on the edge of the box. The Brazilian midfielder made up the yards but his attempt to regain possession landed him in the referee's book.
The best two chances of the opening period fell within a minute of one another when Kuyt laboured in possession inside his own box. Dries Mertens robbed the ball and forced a brave save from Reina, who made vocal his frustration after the incident.
From the resulting corner Cornelisse somehow directed a free header wide, and it was clear Hodgson would require some sharp words at the interval if Liverpool were to avoid a first defeat to Dutch opposition since 1966, when a Johan Cruyff-inspired Ajax thumped Bill Shankly's team 5-1.
Liverpool needed just eight minutes to open up their opponents' defence following the restart when another centre from Johnson was laid back to Torres, whose half-volley flew high into the stand occupied by the travelling supporters.
But Utrecht were not content to soak up any pressure and again might have scored had Reina not intervened to stop van Wolfswinkel getting a foot on Mulenga's dangerous cross.
Seconds later Meireles headed off the line after Silberbauer's seemingly decisive touch within a goalmouth scramble.
Liverpool attempted to counter with a brilliant lofted ball down field from Reina. Kuyt collected and squared to Torres, who for once was outsmarted by the goalkeeper in a one on one.
It was end to end stuff. One minute Alje Schut was sidefooting over when it appeared easier to score, the next Martin Skrtel was heading against the crossbar - though the latter would have been chalked off for offside.
Most of the chances were deriving from opposition errors, though Silberbauer almost made something from nothing with a sensational blast which thundered marginally over on 72 minutes.
Substitute Maxi Rodriguez responded in kind with an overhead kick from Kuyt's cross which floated harmlessly into the crowd.
The last serious chance fell to Utrecht after a mistake from Kelly, whose blushes were spared when Mulenga smashed wide.