Kanu miss saves Reds

Jose Reina's first-half penalty save from Kanu and missed sitters by Portsmouth's John Utaka and Sulley Muntari let Liverpool off the hook in a scoreless scrap at Fratton Park, where Rafael Benitez's side had been beaten on three of their last five visits.

It hardly looked worth a spot kick when referee Mike Riley adjudged Liverpool's Alvaro Arbeloa had pulled Kanu's shirt on the half hour but Reina made a successful dive to the right.

But although Andriy Voronin hit the bar and then was inches from a winner late on, it was Pompey who spurned the biggest opportunities.

With only three minutes on the clock, Pompey keeper David James had to be alert to go down and turn away a fierce shot by Yossi Benayoun.

It needed another fine save by James to keep out Liverpool when Mohamed Sissoko's pass put Peter Crouch in for an angled shot.

Alvaro Arbeloa was then judged by referee Mike Riley to have tugged Kanu's shirt just inside the area as they jockeyed for possession and the Spaniard was grateful to Reina for a spectacular plunge that kept out Kanu's spot-kick.

Liverpool might have been expected to push on from there, but they failed to make another worthwhile chance before the break. Indeed, after Crouch brilliantly back-heeled a Steve Finnan pass just over James' bar, they had a couple of major escapes.

First, £7million Utaka, with all the goal to aim at after Papa Boupa Diop forced the ball through, slashed his effort wide with only Reina to beat in the 52nd minute.

Then the goal was gaping again when energetic £7.2million record buy Muntari hooked Kanu's lay-back off target. In between, Voronin's half-volley clipped the bar when Pompey were caught napping at the back.

The pace was unrelenting and just before the end Voronin was inches away from converting a Fernando Torres cross.