Middlesbrough heaped pressure on the shoulders of Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez and delivered a hammer blow to their visitors' title hopes with a 2-0 win at The Riverside.
Premier League title-chasing Liverpool travelled to Teesside swamped in controversy following Friday's announcement that chief executive Rick Parry is to step down at the end of the season, and with speculation raging about Benitez's future.
The former Valencia boss' current contract expires in the summer of 2010 and he is understood to have turned down four drafted new deals from the Anfield hierarchy as reports suggest he is ready to walk away at the end of the season.
And Boro did little to help the Spaniard - who remains in negotiations on Merseyside - as they stretched an almost seven-year unbeaten home run against the Reds and eased their own relegation fears.
Liverpool continue to trail leaders Manchester United by seven points, but they have now played a game more than their North West rivals, who face Tottenham in the Carling Cup final on Sunday, and look unlikely to overhaul the defending champions.
And the damage was self-inflicted as Boro took the lead through a Xabi Alonso own goal as the Spaniard deflected a 32nd minute Stewart Downing corner, ensuring the home side had their first league goal in almost eight-and-three-quarter hours.
Liverpool's Nabil El Zhar - starting in place of the injured Fernando Torres - missed a glorious chance immediately after half-time, and the Morocco international was duly punished on 63 minutes as Tuncay Sanli swept home Boro's second from a low Jeremie Aliadiere cross.
The hosts last won at Aston Villa on 9th November and had not collected all three points at The Riverside since 11 days earlier, and Alonso's goal was their first in the league for 526 minutes.
However, Gareth Southgate's men were well worth a win which gives them genuine hope of escaping the drop, but leaves Liverpool's title hopes in shreds.
Highlight:
Middlesbrough V Liverpool
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