but still put in a creditable performance. Lucas appeared to be tripped by Danny Higginbotham in the penalty area on 26 minutes, but referee Lee Mason booked the Brazilian for diving. Stoke were content to sit back and let Liverpool have possession, and the away side lacked a cutting edge that would have killed the game. They did take the lead on 57 minutes, with Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos knocking in after Thomas Sørensen had dropped Fábio Aurélio's free kick. Stoke put Liverpool under heavy pressure in the last quarter of an hour, and made the breakthrough when Robert Huth scrambled home. Dirk Kuyt missed a golden opportunity to win the game in the sixth minute of injury time, but his header hit the post. Liverpool faced another important showdown with Tottenham at Anfield. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp felt that his side could get a result at Anfield, with Liverpool missing key players and in poor form. Liverpool, however, started strongly, taking the lead in the sixth minute through Dirk Kuyt's 6th-minute strike. Tottenham were off-par, and despite the ruling out of Jermain Defoe's goal, failed to test Reina. The home side earned a penalty in injury-time when substitutes Maxi Rodríguez and David N'Gog combined, with the latter being tripped in the box. Kuyt was made to re-take his penalty, but still sent Heurelho Gomes the wrong way to secure Liverpool's third win in four. Despite their impressive form, Liverpool were disappointing once more, as they failed to break down Wolves at Molineux. Albert Riera's early effort was comfortably saved by Marcus Hahnemann, but the away side failed to create any clear-cut chances, and the best opportunities in a drab game fell to Wolves' Kevin Doyle, whose goalbound shot was cleared by Emiliano Insúa. Liverpool's next game was at home to Bolton. They failed to impress, but still managed to grind out a 2–0 win, with Dirk Kuyt grabbing his third goal in as many games as he toe-poked in from close range. Emiliano Insúa's long-range strike was deflected into his own net by Kevin Davies for the second. David N'Gog should have added a late third, but missed a sitter, hitting the crossbar from five yards out with the goal gaping. Rafael Benítez praised The Reds' defence, as they kept a third consecutive clean sheet, and a fifth in the last six games. February Liverpool prepared to renew rivalries