The great battle of Britain ended in a rather ungracious dogfight on Merseyside last night, Liverpool edging out Celtic only by virtue of their performance in Glasgow a fortnight earlier.

With hindsight it is probably fitting that Steve McManaman's remarkable goal at Parkhead should prove to be decisive. It levelled the score on that night and after a fraught evening at Anfield, it proved sufficient to move Liverpool forward into the next round of the UEFA Cup on the awaygoals ruling.

How far Liverpool will progress, however, must be open to serious doubt for they were utterly wretched, landing only one shot on target all night.

A genuine sense of occasion was restored to the stadium for the first time with the partial reopening of the Anfield Road stand. Even so it held only 3,000 people, all from north of the border, all no doubt rueing the lack of a roof. The effect must have been sobering, indeed.

The heavens over Merseyside had opened mid-morning and the rain was unrelenting, drenching the playing surface to such an extent that the opening exchanges were so frantic as to hold genuine comedic value. It was hell-for-leather stuff.

The afternoon had held much disappointment for the Celtic coach Wim Jansen, confirming that many of his better players would be absent through injury. Liverpool had been more fortunate, the return of Rob Jones at full-back permitting the manager Roy Evans another opportunity to assess the merits of the four-man defensive system he is increasingly loath to embrace.

A Celtic fan to the rear of the press box spent the opening 15 minutes berating his side for paying Liverpool undue respect. His words were lost in the din, but he was probably correct in his assessment.

Liverpool played the long, first-time ball to such telling effect that Celtic were reduced to hanging on before they could even consider making a more positive contribution.

It was a war of attrition and one which Celtic were content to see extended deep into a fractured opening half, presumably in the belief that if Liverpool's patience waned, so too would their sense of discipline.

The odd thing was that the first genuine opportunity - and a good one it was - fell to Celtic. Tosh McKinlay's enormous clearance after 20 minutes dropped just inside the penalty area, predictably enticing David James from his goal. As the goalkeeper rose to collect, he collided with his team-mate Stig Inge Bjornebye, who was shaping to head clear. The ball fell in front of Simon Donnelly, but in his haste to strike an unprotected target, he lobbed high and wide. His right foot is normally more effective.

Liverpool's second let-off was not long delayed and merely served to re- emphasise that their football still lacks real authority and, until such time as it acquires some, they will remain vulnerable to those capable of squeezing the play in midfield.

Morten Wieghorst's ferocious drive from 20 yards would certainly have found its way in had Bjornebye not thrown himself forwards to halt its progress. The Norwegian's clearance prompted only controversy, a posse of Celtic players surrounding the referee in the belief that they had been denied not by the forehead but an arm.

Celtic now showed greater belief that they could win and, as Liverpool began to funnel back, the suspicion grew that they would be happy to preserve the status quo and thus progress on the away-goals rule.

Their timidity and their thoughtless football infuriated all, but the most partisan of their followers for here, unapologetically, was a team bereft of anything remotely resembling a worthwhile idea.

As the game raced towards its climax, Celtic's sense of desperation became, understandably, more pronounced and as they moved forward, often and gamely, Liverpool at last began to find open doors in front of them.

Celtic manager Wim Jansen, although disappointed, was happy with his team's efforts. "We were very well-organised tonight and had a few chances, but did not score a goal. Everybody thought it was going to be an easy game for them, but it all stemmed back to the two goals conceded at home.

"The whole team were disciplined throughout and what we had planned worked from the very first minute. If you consider the quality against us tonight we've continued the fine progress we've been making since I arrived."

Of Liverpool, Jansen said: "I was expecting them to put us under more pressure, but we remained organised and now we must do it every game. How far Liverpool can go now is difficult to say."

Guardian Service

Liverpool: James, Jones, Kvarme, Babb, McManaman, Fowler (Riedle 84), Berger, Ince, Owen, Bjornebye, Carragher. Subs Not Used: McAteer, Nielson, Harkness, Thomas, Kennedy, Murphy. Booked: Jones.

Celtic: Gould, Mahe, McNamara, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Donnelly, Wieghorst, Hannah, McKinlay, Annoni. Subs Not Used: Kerr, Gray, MacKay, McLaughlin, McBride. Booked: Stubbs, Wieghorst. Agg (2-2) Att: 38,205

Referee: E Steinborn (Germany).