Europa League: Liverpool 0 Utrecht 0

Liverpool served up a dour goalless draw against Utrecht at a packed Anfield in their final Europa League group game on Wednesday.

An astonishing 38,000 turned up for what was a redundant fixture but they were treated to very little entertainment, despite the pressure being off for both sides.

With the Reds certain of topping Group K, Roy Hodgson gave a chance to some of his promising youngsters including teenagers Mark Wilson, Martin Kelly and Nathan Eccleston.

And there was also an opportunity for some of Liverpool’s fringe players to impress after the club’s unconvincing start to the domestic season.

Among them was Milan Jovanovic, who has struggled to settle at Anfield since his free close season move from Belgian side Standard Liege.

And he almost put down a quick marker in the fifth minute when he cut inside the Utrecht defence and smashed a 25-yard effort that rattled the crossbar.

But it was a rare moment of excitement in a turgid first half that ended with Utrecht striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel being stretchered off with a broken collarbone after falling awkwardly from an aerial challenge.

The Dutch side, who had failed to win any of their previous five group games and were already eliminated, started the second half brighter and Dries Mertens brought a comfortable save from Australian glovesman Brad Jones in the 49th minute.

Hodgson brought on Daniel Pacheco just before the hour and the young Spaniard immediately injected some pace and twice got round the back of the Utrecht defence to fizz in a couple of crosses that could have produced an opener.

With eight minutes to go, Liverpool finally created a gilt-edged opportunity but Joe Cole’s shot from eight yards was brilliantly blocked by Sander Keller.