Liverpool's five-game unbeaten run over the past few weeks came to an abrupt end as Stoke City comprehensively outplayed and out-battled the Merseysiders, winning 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones.

From the first whistle Liverpool were second best through most of this encounter, never finding their passing rhythm and clearly lacking in the hard-working approach which saw them beat league leaders Chelsea by a similar score line last weekend.

In fact since that "turning point" match Liverpool have now taken a measly single point in the two away games against Wigan and Stoke—both of whom were in the relegation zone at the beginning of play in each respective match.

Stoke sent a succession of set pieces and long crosses into the Liverpool penalty area which the Reds struggled to cope with for the entire game, despite being bolstered by the return of Greek defender Soto Kyrgiakos. Rory Delap's infamous long throw-in caused confusion and panic in the penalty area and several times in the opening half hour only last-ditch defending stopped the home side taking the lead.

Dean Whitehead lashed a strike just wide of Reina's right-hand post, while the Spanish stopper was forced to make a magnificent flying save to the same side to deny the same player. Kenwyne Jones headed just wide after making a free run—Martin Skrtel accidentally tripping his fellow centre back Kyrgiakos in the process.

Skrtel was lucky not to be penalised for holding onto Robert Huth on more than one occasion, while Fuller appealed for a penalty as well as he fell rather easily under pressure from the hardly-bulky Maxi Rodriguez.

Liverpool offered next to nothing in attack until Gerrard and then Raul Meireles had two shots saved by Begovic in the space of a couple of minutes after the half hour mark. The Reds were probably relieved to get into the dressing room at halftime with the scores level and the fans and manager Roy Hodgson would have wanted to see much more in the second half.

However it was a similar story, with Liverpool hardly able to break out of their own half or string five minutes of pressure together on the Stoke penalty area.

Ten minutes into the second half the home side took a deserved lead, even if the manner of the goal was slightly fortuitous. Another ball into the box created havoc as three or four mis-hit efforts on goal pinged around the penalty area. The ball eventually dropped back to Fuller and it more hit him than him shooting goalwards, but with Reina having been deceived by an earlier ricochet the ball bounced into the middle of the unguarded net.

Again Liverpool fans waited for a response but again they were disappointed.

Delap had a shot deflected just wide by Raul Meireles, before Maxi Rodriguez had Liverpool's best chance of the game as he smashed goalwards after Dirk Kuyt's pull-back, but Begovic smothered the shot well.

Fernando Torres had not so much as a sniff of an opportunity all night and David Ngog was introduced on 65 minutes to add some firepower, with Kuyt shifting to the right side.

However, despite the further introduction of Ryan Babel, returned from a rib injury, Liverpool could fathom no clear-cut chances, Babel's own shot from 25 yards which flew well wide being the best of a poor attempt to get back into the game.

Liverpool had too many under-performers; Paul Konchesky summed it all up with a 30-yard free kick which he ballooned into the upper rows of the crowd.

Late on into injury time ex-Red Jermaine Pennant broke free through the middle and found the unmarked forward Kenwyne Jones. He out-muscled Skrtel and slotted past Reina to seal the victory for the home side, consigning Liverpool to their fifth Premier League defeat in 13 games.

To compound the away side's misery, midfielder Lucas Leiva was sent off just before the final whistle for a second yellow card as he jumped in late on Matthew Etherington.

The result, and moreover the performance, will come as a bitter blow to Liverpool fans who must have hoped that their team was on the upward curve after a recent spate of victories, but this game will have the critics—and rightly so—back on at the team, and certainly the manager.

Hodgson cut a very frustrated figure for much of the match but one has to wonder what his game plan for dealing with Stoke was, as Liverpool sat back from the first whistle and rarely threatened to impose themselves on the contest.

Milan Jovanovic sat on the bench throughout the entire match despite Liverpool being a goal down and having a substitute left; the Serbian flier must be wondering what he has to do to get a game at the moment as Maxi Rodriguez flattered to deceive again and Raul Meireles continues to be played out of position on the right.

Questions aplenty for Hodgson to answer as usual, as Liverpool's mini-revival comes crashing to an end in the most disappointing of fashions.