Liverpool's thick red safety blanket smothered any hopes Leeds United had of chalking up their eighth successive Premiership victory.

Although Leeds had the bulk of possession they could not break the Elland Road stalemate last night as Liverpool defended in depth.

The Reds arrived having gone nine games without a clean sheet and it was clear from the outset where manager Gerard Houlier's priorities lay.

Liverpool's rearguard was supplemented by solid back-tacking by the likes of Steve McManaman and Paul Ince, who frustrated United's efforts to break through.

The pace was frenetic, and mis-placed passes commonplace, but the match never really got up and running, particularly in a stop-start first half punctuated by injuries to Gunnar Halle and Michael Owen and a couple of bookings.

Liverpool had clearly done their homework on Aussie winger Harry Kewell and banked up several players against him to protect young full back Steve Gerrard.

Kewell only got round the back twice in the first half and on each occasion it should have brought a goal.

After 43 minutes he dinked a fine cross to the back post, but leading scorer Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink failed to get a clean contact.

A minute later Kewell muscled his way down the left and cut the ball back perfectly and this time Hasselbaink connectly sweetly, but his low shot flew just wide.

Liverpool's best efforts came in the second half when a flick by KarlHeinz Reidle put Robbie Fowler through, but his shot thumped straight into the midriff of Nigel Martyn.

Reidle then got on the end of a Patrik Berger cross and sent a header skidding wide of Martyn's left hand post.

But these were isolated incidents as Liverpool's infrequent attacks were bottled up by the immaculate Lucas Radebe and Jonathan Woodgate, who provided excellent cover for reserve midfielder Matthew Jones, who came on at right back for the injured Halle.

It was a similar story at the other end, where Dominic Matteo had an excellent game in the heart of the visiting defence.

Leeds kept probing and their patience was nearly rewarded in the final minutes when Lee Bowyer came close to striking the angle of bar and post with a rising drive and then saw his clever chip go over David James, but land on top of the net.

The goal-less draw all but kills off United's thin Champions' League hopes, but the point remains a valuable one in their quest for a UEFA Cup place.

Manager David O'Leary, however, had little cause to feel too downhearted, admitting: "You can't win every game.

"In some of the games during that winning run we played some really wonderful stuff, the kind of thing you dream about.

"But we were playing a Liverpool side under pressure and wanting to prove something, and we found it difficult.

"But this is part of the learning process for my young side."

Leeds may now be out of the running for the title - if they were ever in it - but O'Leary is putting his money where his mouth is and has decided to back against his old club Arsenal to retain the Premiership trophy.

"I've got £100 on Manchester United, so I better stick with them," revealed O'Leary.

"I took a bet at the start of the season, so that's who my money's on."

Leeds' Norwegian international Gunnar Halle will also go into hospital this morning for a scan after tweaking ligaments in his knee which could rule him out of Saturday's trip to Charlton.

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