Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon had just two saves to make in another dismal Liverpool home performance.
So sorry have LFC's performances and results been this season that a clean sheet, and another game undefeated, is now regarded in some quarters as progress.
However after a £120M summer spending splurge, for a team that finished last season 2 points away from being Champions, some big questions must be answered about a team currently languishing in 9th after 15 matches.
Simon Mignolet kept his place in the Liverpool goal. Kolo Toure's form is still more impressive than the £20M summer signing Dejan Lovren. Steven Gerrard was returned to the bench, probably with one eye on the Champions League decider with Basel.
Lucas Leiva, unwanted by the reds in August, was yet again one of the first names on the teamsheet. Coutinho and Alberto Moreno were the two changes from the mid-week game against Leicester - Gerrard and Enrique making way.
Within the first five minutes Johnson and Skrtel failed to deal with Conor Wickham who had a reasonable shout for a penalty. It took Liverpool 23 minutes to register their first attempt - sadly not on target - when Lambert headed wide from a Lallana cross.
Liverpool were giving away plenty of corners during a drab opening hour. One corner saw Wickham totally unmarked at the back of the penalty area and his powerful shot, thankfully, flashed wide of Mignolet's goal.
Steven Gerrard was eventually brought on in the 67th minute - replacing Lallana.
10 minutes later Markovic replaced Coutinho, just seconds after the Brazilian had registered Liverpool's second attempt on goal.
It would be the reds' last shot on target.
Liverpool had a great opportunity to move level on points with 6th placed Arsenal. As it is they now face two difficult games against Man Utd and Arsenal.
Before all that they must beat Basel on Tuesday to ensure qualification from the Champions League group. They will have to play a lot better than they did today - because performances like today are simply unacceptable.
MOTM: Lucas Leiva (65.6% of the vote on LFC Reds)