Blackburn Rovers - 2 Liverpool - 2:SOCCER/English FA Premiership: Liverpool headed back down the East Lancs Road last night with their unbeaten start to the season intact but consumed by a nagging sensation that it could have been so much better.

After coming from behind to lead 2-1 with time running out, Gerard Houllier's side looked to be heading to the Premiership's summit before being undone by an equaliser seven minutes from time by the much-maligned Ciccio Grabbi, the Italian's first touch playing a decisive part in today's league table.

Of all the sides who might emerge as the Premiership's unexpected success story this season, Graeme Souness has constructed a team as well equipped as anyone. They attack with flair and finesse, width and penetration, with Damien Duff and David Dunn always willing to support Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole in forward positions.

As far as Duff is concerned, the World Cup merely illustrated to a wider audience what Blackburn already knew, namely that they have one of the most mercurial wide players anywhere. His combination of trickery and tenacity was a constant threat to Abel Xavier on the right of Liverpool's defence and, faced by a side that have persistently attempted to prise him away from Ewood, it was the young Irishman who fashioned the opening goal after 15 minutes.

Xavier should have have done better than to allow Duff, squirming to get space by the corner flag, to lash a low centre across the penalty area and, from that moment, Liverpool were exposed. Cole had the presence of mind to jump out of the way, distracting Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz in the process, and Dunn controlled the ball neatly before driving a left-foot shot beneath Jerzy Dudek.

Until that moment there had been little of attacking note from either side but Dunn's first goal of the season sparked a muted game into life. Almost immediately Cole deceived Henchoz to create a chance for himself that was beaten away by Dudek's legs and then it was Liverpool's turn to emerge as an attacking force.

However, there was still little substance to their increasing pressure until their equaliser after just the half-hour, a goal classy in its creation and clinical in its execution. Cole was booked for chopping down Dietmar Hamann and, from the free-kick, Liverpool worked the ball expertly via Steven Gerrard and Danny Murphy to Xavier on the right. Murphy continued his run into the area and turned Xavier's cross past Brad Friedel with a stylish first-time shot.

Where Liverpool were let down was the overwhelming lack of support for Owen in attack. Murphy and Gerrard tried to join him at every juncture but this was a frustrating night for the bewildering El-Hadji Diouf, hugely disappointing after being favoured ahead of Emile Heskey in Houllier's starting line-up.

The Senegal striker was a substitution waiting to happen, Heskey emerging midway through the second half, although Owen had every reason to look crestfallen when he was summoned to the bench for Vladimir Smicer. He had been Liverpool's most potent threat.

Even so, Smicer played a vital part in Liverpool's second goal, picking out Riise with a deep cross after Tugay had carelessly squandered possession in his own half. The Norwegian's header seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before dropping behind Friedel and into the net.

But just as Liverpool were imagining the view from the Premiership's summit, their defence went AWOL and Grabbi, who managed just one goal in his first season at Blackburn, powered in a header from Dunn's cross.

Guardian Service

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Short (Grabbi 82), Taylor, Johansson, Dunn, Flitcroft, Tugay, Duff, Yorke, Cole. Subs Not Used: Hignett, Mahon, Berg, Kelly. Booked: Cole, Grabbi, Yorke. Goals: Dunn 16, Grabbi 83.

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Xavier, Hyypia, Henchoz, Traore, Murphy, Gerrard, Hamann, Riise (Diao 87), Diouf (Smicer 64), Owen (Heskey 64). Subs Not Used: Carragher, Kirkland. Booked: Murphy. Goals: Murphy 31, Riise 77.

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).