Reading 1-1 Liverpool

Steven Gerrard rescued Liverpool again with an equaliser at the Madejski Stadium to earn an FA Cup third-round replay against Reading and avoid an embarrassing defeat.

It was hardly the most influential game from Gerrard but the Liverpool skipper produced a goal when his side needed it most, as he does so often, meaning the two clubs will meet again at Anfield.

Simon Church had bundled in an opener to give the hosts the scent of an upset but Gerrard levelled before the break for Rafael Benitez's men.

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani moved back to bench-warming duties after making back-to-back starts for Rafael Benitez in the previous two matches.

The Italy international was replaced by Fabio Aurelio, while Stephen Darby was drafted in for injured England full-back Glen Johnson.

Benitez also had Martin Skrtel in for Daniel Agger and David Ngog in attack with Fernando Torres, meaning Yossi Benayoun dropped to the bench.

Brian Howard, who scored the winner for Barnsley against Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round in 2008, was on the bench for Reading after recovering from a jaw injury.

Both teams needed to adjust to the uneven surface at the Madejski Stadium, a venue that also hosts rugby games for London Irish and was not in ideal condition for flowing football.

Ngog wasted an early sighter on goal then crossed for Aurelio to flash a volley across the face of goal, and they were rare moments of excitement in a first phase of the game characterised by errors.

The hosts did have the ball in the net when Jobi McAnuff met Pepe Reina's punch but the strike was correctly ruled out as Grzegorz Rasiak was offside and also impeded the Liverpool goalkeeper to allow the finish to trickle over the line.

Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici, at the other end, was fortunate to escape further punishment when he handled outside the penalty area, claiming a ball Gerrard pushed through to Aurelio. Martin Atkinson only awarded the free-kick.

That set-piece was wasted, as was a half-chance for Ngog when Kuyt intelligently switched play from right to left.

Atkinson was also lenient when he turned down a Reading appeal for a penalty, but Emiliano Insua finally went in the book when the fouled McAnuff on the right flank.

That led to Church's strike. Ryan Bertrand swung over the deep free-kick to the far post, with most Liverpool players expecting the ball to drift out of play.

They did not count on Rasiak darting around Lucas Leiva and pulling the ball back from the byline. Church had the simple task of tapping in from close range for his fifth of the season.

Liverpool looked to Torres to get them back in the game and the Spain striker headed just wide when Kuyt crossed from the right channel.

It was their other talisman, Gerrard, who grabbed the equaliser. He picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and shaped to cross, with Kuyt stepping over the delivery to fool Federici.

Gerrard sent Torres through before the break and Federici spread himself well to block the finish, and Aurelio also drilled wide when sent through.

Reading's disgruntled fans spotted their former manager on his duties as a pundit and chanted "we want our Coppell back", as they hope for a return to the days of success.

The club have been in freefall since relegation from the top flight two seasons ago, and the likes of Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt have been sold, but at least the current players were not giving up. Gylfi Sigurdsson unleashed a swerving shot that required a decent Reina save.

Torres had threatened just after the break when he shot narrowly over the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Federici appeared to pull a hamstring midway through the second half so Ben Hamer came off the bench. Benitez also brought on Aquilani for Ngog.

Hamer saved on the line from Aquilani before the end and Torres headed just over in stoppage-time.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the views or position of Liverpool Football Club.