Blues drew 2-2 with Champions of Europe Liverpool in a tremendous second half's entertainment in the early kick-off at St Andrews.

After a forgettable first 45 minutes an amazing 15 minute spell saw four goals and a sending off.

Substitute Luis Garcia gave The Reds the lead before Stephen Warnock headed into his own net to bring the game level.

Blues Substitute Walter Pandiani scored within minutes of coming on to quickly gave Blues the lead.

Finally Djibril Cisse's penalty, following Kilkenny's handball on the line, gave Liverpool a share of the spoils.

As expected Steve Bruce was forced to make a number of changes through injuries and Nicky Butt's suspension giving Neil Kilkenny a baptism of fire for his full debut in centre midfield up against Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard.

Mario Melchiot was fit again and up front Blues started with their first choice strikers, former Red's favourite Emile Heskey and Mikael Forssell.

Liverpool put Blues under pressure right from the start and a slick passing move created their first opening with Taylor blocking Gerrard's attempted flick towards goal.

Blues broke away immediately and a neat dummy by Forssell gave Pennant time to cross for Heskey but he failed to get onto the end of it.

Blues were struggling to get out of their own half with Liverpool's continental style football making Blues chase the game.

Despite the possession the visitors were resulting to long-range efforts to try and break the deadlock.

In the seventh minute Xabi Alonso hit a tame effort that Maik Taylor gathered easily.

Ten minutes later Bolo Zenden fired over the bar from just outside the box.

Blues finally got behind the Liverpool defence in the 25th minute when Damien Johnson's looping clearance found Heskey.

The Blues striker controlled it with chest before running forward and hitting a low shot at goal that Jose Pepe Reina saved with his feet.

There was a worrying sight of Heskey limping away but he soon shook it off.

In the 29th minute Steven Gerrard was a whisker away from putting his side into the lead with a trademark pile-driver from 25 yards that hit the inside of the post and bounced across the face of goal.

Sinama-Pongolle latched onto the loose ball and struck a shot towards goal but Clapham was there to block it.

Blues were just about keeping Liverpool at bay and another shot from outside the box, this time from Zenden, flew just past the angle closely watched by Maik Taylor.

The first booking of the game was given to Florent Sinama-Pongolle in the 34th minute for aiming a little kick out at Johnson who blocked off his run.

Differently to last week referee Mr Bennett deemed this only a booking.

Neil Kilkenny was showing the grit and determination expected by Steve Bruce when he tracked back to halt Sinama-Pongolle's run forward.

A minute later Mario Melchiot received treatment for a knock he received moments earlier.

The game had the feel of a friendly now with the sun shining and the both teams playing at leisurely pace.

There was nothing friendly about Clapham's challenge on Pongolle a minute before half-time that earned the Blues full-back a booking.

Emile Heskey then escaped with a lecture for a late challenge on Xabi Alonso.

Half-time: Blues 0 Liverpool 0

Within 90 seconds of the re-start Blues had a great chance when Clapham picked out Forssell with a superb cross but the Finn's first touch was poor and Reina collected the ball.

Liverpool broke away immediately through Steven Gerrard who burst past three Blue shirts before slicing his shot wide from just inside the box.

The atmosphere had picked up now as both sides started far more brightly than the first 45 minutes.

In the 49th minute Blues won the first corner but the short pass to Melchiot was wasted by the Dutchman.

Liverpool were starting to make a few mistakes now as Blues began to boss the midfield and Kilkenny's cross created a rare chance for Blues.

The ball was punched clear to Forssell but once again his touch let him down as Liverpool cleared.

On the hour mark Florent Sinama-Pongolle was replaced by Luis Garcia.

A minute later the Liverpool full-back won Liverpool's first corner of the game when his angled shot was punched round the post by Taylor.

The corner was cleared to Gerrard whose shot was blocked by Upson.

It took Luis Garcia only three minutes to pick up a booking following his handball he chose to the throw the ball away in protest and concede another ten yards.

Midway through the half Kenny Cunningham was the fourth man in book for a high challenge on Steven Gerrard.

This free-kick led towards Liverpool taking the lead through substitute Luis Garcia.

Gerrard soon dusted himself down to race forward and collect a chested pass before playing it through to Garcia who finished with a clinical shot just inside the post.

Benitez made a substitution straight away replacing Bolo Zenden with Djibril Cisse.

In the 71st minute Warnock was booked for a reckless challenge on Mario Melchiot.

A minute later the full-back's afternoon got even worse when he headed the ball into his own net for Blues' equaliser.

Jermaine Pennant's corner fell to Gray who raced back to curled in a teasing cross that saw the youngster deflect the ball past the keeper.

Blues boss immediately withdrew Mikael Forssell and threw on Walter Pandiani.

This prove a master stroke with the Uruguayan firing Blues into the lead three minutes later.

Pennant's cross was met with a firm header by Heskey whose header was spilled by Reina to Kilkenny whose shot was deflected to Pandiani who made no mistake from close range.

Liverpool replaced Dietmar Hamann with Djibril Cisse in the 79th minute.

Two minutes later Jamie Clapham kept Blues in the lead with a fine headed clearance off the line from Garcia's header.

Liverpool finally drew level in the 83rd minute through Cisse's penalty.

It came following a couple of poor decisions by the linesman missing Gerrard's offside then awarding a dubious corner.

Blues conceded the penalty when Carragher's header bounced down off the bar and Neil Kilkenny pushed the ball away from goal with his hand.

Mr Bennett had no alternative but to send the youngster off on his first appearance for Blues and leave Blues with ten men for the second week running.

Djibril Cisse sent Taylor the wrong way as he hit the ball just off centre and into the net to draw level for the visitors.

Peter Crouch wasted a golden chance moments later when he headed wide from Cisse's far post cross.

Jamie Clapham was there again in injury time to head off the line from Crouch's header.

Despite late pressure by Liverpool and Steve Bruce throwing on Tebily for Heskey at the end Blues collected a deserved point although three were nearly on the cards.

This draw halted a run of three straight defeats and prevented Blues having their worst start since 1911.

Full time: Blues 2 Liverpool 2

Blues: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Clapham, Pennant, Johnson, Kilkenny, Gray, Forssell (Pandiani 73), Heskey (Tebily 90).
Subs not used: Martin Taylor, Lazaridis, Vaesen.

Bookings: Clapham (44), Cunningham (67)

Sent Off: Kilkenny (83)

Goals: Warnock o.g. (72), Pandiani (75)

Liverpool: Reina, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock, Sinama Pongolle (Garcia 60), Alonso, Hamann (Riise 79), Gerrard, Zenden (68), Crouch.
Subs not used: Finnan, Carson.

Bookings: Sinama-Pongolle (35), Garcia (65), Warnock (71)

Goals: Garcia (68), Cisse, pen (83)

Attendance: 27,733

Referee: S Bennett.