FT: Leeds 2 Liverpool 2
Leeds and Liverpool were forced to settle for a point after an enthralling 2-2 draw at Elland Road.

Gerard Houllier's side initially led through former Leeds star Harry Kewell, yet were made to come from behind during an all-action first half as Milan Baros cancelled out goals from Eirik Bakke and Mark Viduka.

Leeds, despite being unbeaten in their last three games from which they have taken five points, remain bottom of the table, yet their optimism is on the rise.

Kewell set up Michael Owen for a fifth-minute curler which clipped Gary Kelly, while the England international later flashed a drive over the bar before the former Leeds favourite silenced the boo boys.

After a toe-poked shot from 15 yards through the legs of Dominic Matteo which an alert Paul Robinson just managed to push away, Kewell struck in the 21st minute.

Play first switched from the left flank to the right, with Baros supplying Kewell who curled a sensational 20-yard left-foot shot beyond Robinson.

But within eight minutes Leeds were level as Didier Domi, Alan Smith and Jermaine Pennant all combined to set up Bakke for a flick past Chris Kirkland for his first league goal in 14 months.

Liverpool responded with Steven Gerrard setting up Baros for a towering close-range header which crashed against the bar before Leeds soon countered to take the lead.

A Robinson goal-kick was inadvertently headed on by Sami Hyypia to Smith who took the ball on his chest before volleying a pass into Viduka's stride for the striker to then loft his seventh of the season over Kirkland.

But four minutes before the break Liverpool were back on level terms as Baros weaved his way past Domi and Seth Johnson before firing a crisp 19-yard drive past Robinson.

Smith and Owen then exchanged chances throughout the second period, with the Leeds striker ending an incisive 52nd-minute move by flashing an acutely-angled drive past the far post by an inch.

Robinson and Kirkland again thwarted Owen and Smith soon after, before the latter appeared to have won the game for Leeds in the 73rd minute.

With a chance reminiscent of his equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United last week, Smith stole in front of Stephane Henchoz in meeting a clipped James Milner cross, only for his header to crash off the underside of the bar.

Robinson, in front of the watching Sven-Goran Eriksson, then produced the save of the game in the 87th minute as he was at full stretch to tip away a goal-bound Dietmar Hamann drive from 30 yards.

Although Leeds were under pressure in the closing stages, it was they who had the final chance to win the game in the second minute of injury time.

Domi met an inswinging Stephen McPhail corner with a powerful downward header, only for Jamie Carragher to clear off the line.