[ENGLAND] Hard to imagine, but things got worse for Liverpool on Monday. The Reds needed a controversial Steven Gerrard penalty to earn a 2-2 tie at home with Birmingham City in a game that saw two more Liverpool players, Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun, suffer hamstring injuries.

Gerrard tied the score with 19 minutes remaining after Lee Carsley was harshly ruled to have brought down young Frenchman David Ngog by referee Peter Walton.

Carsley's reaction? "It's a joke. I know for a fact I didn't touch him," he told ESPN. "I think when the referee sees it, he'll be really disappointed."

The draw leaves the Reds 11 points behind leader Chelsea.