Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has urged his side to be more creative after they were held 0-0 at home by Stoke.

"The responsibility was on us to be more imaginative to break them down and we didn't manage to do it," he said.

"The couple of opportunities we got we didn't take and in a game like that you have to take them."

Liverpool have scored just 24 goals in 21 Premier League games this season, 32 fewer than leaders Manchester City.

The draw to Stoke was the seventh time in 11 Premier League home games that Liverpool have had to settle for a draw.


Their repeated failure to convert pressure into points at Anfield could leave them four points off European qualification if fifth-placed Arsenal win their game in hand away against Swansea on Sunday.

Liverpool began the game with three centre-halves - Martin Skrtel, Sebastian Coates and Jamie Carragher - and both record signing Andy Carroll and fellow striker Craig Bellamy on the bench in spite of the absence of the banned Luis Suarez.

But Dalglish insisted that the formation was largely influenced by the health of his squad.

"We left Daniel Agger out as a precaution, Jose Enrique had a bit of stomach virus so we were lucky to get him to play; we didn't have too many options," he added.

"The boys at the back looked pretty comfortable - but they were only playing against one person."

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