LIVERPOOL were left frustrated for a second week running after a goalless draw with Reading.

Brendan Rodgers' side wasted a catalogue of chances against the relegation-threatened Royals at the Madejski Stadium, but found home 'keeper Alex McCarthy in inspired form.

Rodgers made just one change from the side which had started the stalemate with West Ham United last weekend, with Daniel Sturridge coming in for Stewart Downing.

Nigel Adkins' side, meanwhile, started the day rock bottom of the Premier League, knowing defeat would all-but extinguish their hopes of avoiding the drop.

A pre-match silence for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, ahead of Monday's 24th anniversary, was observed impeccably by both sets of supporters, with Reds managing director Ian Ayre and Reading chairman Ian Ayre laying a floral tribute in the centre circle.

It was a low-key opening, with neither side settling particularly well. A couple of robust challenges from home forward Noel Hunt, which earned him a lecture from referee Mark Clattenburg, were the most notable acts of the first 14 minutes.

Then Luis Suarez had the visitors' first chance, the Uruguayan collecting Philippe Coutinho's pass after Sturridge's dummy, beating McCarthy with his clipped effort, but seeing the alert Chris Gunter head off the line.

McCarthy was called into action on 22 minutes, blocking from Sturridge after the striker had ran onto Suarez's pass. The Reading 'keeper then turned Coutinho's curling effort round the post, whilst Jamie Carragher headed off target from a Suarez corner.

With a series of chants being aimed at Margaret Thatcher from the away end, Suarez again tested McCarthy after a dreadful square pass from Gunter, with Steven Gerrard's follow-up effort deflected wide by Adrian Mariappa.

The chances kept coming. Jordan Henderson had a volley deflected wide, McCarthy blocked from Sturridge at point-blank range, whilst Daniel Agger headed wide when unmarked.

Coutinho had the ball in the net within minutes of the restart, flicking home Gerrard's low cross at the near post. The Brazilian was, however, correctly judged offside, whilst Suarez drilled off target from distance soon after.

Rodgers replaced Henderson with Downing before the hour mark, but will be frustrated by his side's inability to break down their hosts. Coutinho sidefooted just wide from a Sturridge pull back, but Liverpool were grateful to Pepe Reina for keeping out Noel Hunt's close-range effort on 67 minutes after Pavel Pogrebnyak's low cross had opened the Reds up down the left.

Reina was called into action again 14 minutes from time, turning Jobi McAnuff's deflected effort over the bar after a raid from Garath McCleary down the right, whilst Suarez sent a free kick just wide from 25 yards.

Downing drove wide after cutting inside onto his left foot with six minutes to go, whilst McCarthy made two superb saves to keep out first Gerrard and then Suarez.

Sturridge volleyed over in the dying stages, with McCarthy making one more stunning save from Suarez in stoppage time.

READING (4-2-3-1): McCarthy; Gunter, Morrison, Mariappa, Kelly; Karacan (Carrico 59), Guthrie; McAnuff, Hunt (Le Fondre 78), McCleary; Pogrebnyak (Blackman 73)

Substitutes: Taylor, Harte, Pearce, Leigertwood

Cards: Guthrie

Goals:

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson (Downing 59), Coutinho, Sturridge, Suarez

Substitutes: Jones, Assaidi, Coates, Suso, Shelvey, Skrtel

Cards: Lucas

Goals:

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Attendance: 24,139

NEXT UP: Chelsea (home), Premier League, Sunday April 21, kick off 4pm