Sotirios Kyrgiakos looked to have given the Reds a deserved victory with his first club goal just under the hour mark.

But Huth fumbled home late in the day to cap a miserable few days for Rafa Benitez and co.

The gaffer has endured one of the most difficult weeks of his five-year tenure at Anfield, with the queue for the treatment room trumped only by the queue of London hacks now stalking the team waiting to pounce on any defeat.

The injury list forced Benitez into six changes and, for the first time since numbered shirts were introduced, Liverpool had no one on the field wearing 1-11.

At least this season's star performer Pepe Reina was passed fit to start. The Spaniard was central to a team huddle prior to kick-off as the travelling Kop offered a stirring rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone.

Liverpool could have got off to a dream start had Fabio Aurelio played the returning Javier Mascherano clean through on four minutes. Instead he scuffed a 60-yard shot harmlessly into the opposition half.

It was a nervous opening for the Reds, with Martin Skrtel losing control and conceding a throw eight minutes in. Rory Delap launched one of his trademark balls into the box - and it almost ended up in the back of the net after Reina fumbled.

Fortunately for the visitors, an injury meant this was to be Delap's last act.

Lucas had a decent chance to shoot on 19 minutes but the ball deflected kindly into the arms of Thomas Sorensen.

Five minutes later the Brazilian midfielder seemed to have won a penalty after a mistimed slide from Danny Higginbotham. Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher led the protests but referee Lee Mason was having none of it, adding insult to injury by booking Lucas for simulation.

It was a lucky escape for the Potters, who were forced into a second early substitution when captain Abdoulaye Faye limped off the field.

Liverpool were controlling the midfield without posing too much of a threat. Their final chance of the half came when Aurelio curled a dangerous ball into the box only for Stoke to scramble away.

It was Stoke who started the second period brightest, substitute Liam Lawrence firing wide from a dead ball just outside the box.

Next Tuncay eluded the offside trap but failed to test Reina with an angled shot.

Just as it began to look ominous for the guests, Liverpool scrambled an opener. It was the impressive Degen who won the free-kick which Aurelio swung into the box on 57 minutes. Sorensen made a hash of it and Kyrgiakos was there to tuck home his first goal in English football.

Stoke almost found an instant equaliser when Salif Diao's long throw was flicked on by Ryan Shawcross. Tuncay connected but his far-post header flew wide of the woodwork.

Reina had to be sharp to collect Ricardo Fuller's glancing header with 15 minutes to go before Benitez introduced new signing Maxi Rodriguez for his debut.

It looked as if Liverpool would see out the game despite a flurry of late set pieces for Stoke, but the day ended in despair when Shawcross flicked on a Matthew Etherington corner, allowing Huth space to tap in at the far post.

Dirk Kuyt headed against the crossbar with seconds to spare to sum up Liverpool's plight.