Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 2: Dubai International Capital have been heralded as potential saviours of Liverpool in the tide of animosity towards Tom Hicks and George Gillett but a small and pertinent detail of their possible takeover has so far been ignored. They are not the potential saviours of Rafael Benitez.
Only victories, Champions League qualification and the precious riches it brings to Liverpool will dictate the Spaniard's long-term future at Anfield, not which far-flung destination owns the club's family silver.
In that respect, and after another frustrating night at Anfield, the boss's prospects remain as precarious as ever.
A draw with Aston Villa was the least Liverpool deserved and it could have been far worse for Benitez had Peter Crouch not levelled two minutes from time with his team languishing seventh in the table. The rescue act took Liverpool into fifth but standing behind Merseyside rivals Everton in the race for a Champions League place will not impress any owners.
The spotlight was not only directed at the Liverpool team here, with supporters' groups calling on fans to show the depth of their anger towards the failing regime in charge of the club. Unlike the march in support of Benitez last November there was no organised protest against the Americans last night but no disguising the sentiment of the majority either.
As usual the Anfield script-writers did not miss the opportunity to unveil their banners, with "You messed up Vietnam, You messed up Iraq, don't mess up the Scousers by giving Rafa the sack" and "1 DIC better than 2" among the more colourful.
For six full minutes after kick off the Kop sang "They don't care about Rafa, they don't care about fans, Liverpool Football Club is in the wrong hands" and, mirroring their feelings towards Messrs Hicks and Gillett over the past few months, the dissent gave rise to a crescendo as Anfield called its own time on the owners.
Unfortunately for the choristers, no amount of singing will oust the targets. The presence of Villa provided a sobering reminder to Liverpool that owners - even those as consistently unpopular as Doug Ellis - usually exit on their own terms.
In front of Roberto Mancini, coach of Champions League opponents Internazionale, Liverpool initially offered little to worry the Italian as Fabio Aurelio toiled badly against Craig Gardner and the Villa front pairing of John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor presented a regular threat.
Gradually and with Dirk Kuyt producing his most productive performance in several months, the home side stifled O'Neill's team and the freedom afforded Yossi Benayoun and Harry Kewell provided firm support to the Liverpool attack.
Fernando Torres was his usual menacing self and Stuart Taylor had to be alert when the Spaniard attempted to catch the Villa goalkeeper off his line. Olof Mellberg produced an outstanding block to deny a goalbound effort from Kewell after more ingenuity inside the area from Torres, before a fine move prised the visiting defence apart in the 19th minute.
Gerrard instigated the breakthrough with a pass into Kuyt but it was the much-maligned Dutchman who made the goal with an inch-perfect flick into the path of Benayoun. Though Taylor denied the Israel captain at the first attempt Benayoun reacted quicker than any defender to the loose ball and, despite the attention of Martin Laursen, drove the ball past Curtis Davies on the goal-line.
Liverpool continued to pour forward and Alvaro Arbeloa even ventured forth from right back to shoot narrowly over. Villa, to the dismay of the agitated O'Neill, offered little in response as an unbeaten away record stretching back to September appeared to be fading without resistance. Then, in the space of three late minutes, the contest was transformed.
First to inflict misery on Liverpool was the Villa substitute Marlon Harewood who, within three minutes of replacing Gardner, had hooked Martin Laursen's flick-on from a Stiliyan Petrov free-kick over his head and beyond the startled Jose Reina.
The home side were still coming to terms with conceding to Villa's first genuine attack when they were suddenly behind. Again a set-piece proved their undoing, with Carew winning the aerial duel with Sami Hyypia and finding Mellberg lurking on the right. The defender's shot lacked pace and accuracy but, courtesy of a deflection off Aurelio, sailed behind Reina and in. Benitez punched the air in disgust. He was to be reprieved, when Crouch volleyed home two minutes from time.
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL:Reina, Arbeloa (Skrtel 70), Carragher, Hyypia, Aurelio, Benayoun (Crouch 80), Mascherano, Gerrard, Kewell (Babel 74), Kuyt, Torres. Subs Not Used: Itandje, Alonso. Booked: Arbeloa, Mascherano.
ASTON VILLA:Taylor, Mellberg, Laursen, Davies, Bouma, Gardner (Harewood 66), Petrov, Reo-Coker, Young, Carew (Knight 90), Agbonlahor. Subs Not Used: Sorensen, Cahill, Osbourne. Booked: Laursen, Young.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).