Veteran Gary McAllister continued his quest to achieve glory for Liverpool on all fronts.

His fantastic contribution to the Merseysiders' charge towards the Champions League continued tonight as he netted his fourth dead ball goal in five successive wins for Gerard Houllier's men.

Michael Owen had stolen the lead for an out-of-sorts Liverpool early in the second half - but it was McAllister who once again grabbed all the headlines.

His remarkable scoring run continued with a 20-yard free-kick in the 66th minute - although nobody should be surprised.

The 36-year-old has hit fine free-kicks against Everton, Spurs and Coventry - as well as a penalty against Barcelona - before this Valley Parade clash.

Tonight's goal secured Liverpool's rise to third place in the Premiership, and increased their decent recent run to just one defeat in 15 games.

But despite the scoreline, the win was not easy. Relegated Bradford never once let up and turned in a spirited performance which will give them hope as they plan an instant return to the Premiership.

If Liverpool thought this was going to be a cruise, they were sadly mistaken.

Bradford may have been already down, but they gave Liverpool all sorts of problems, particularly in a feisty first half.

Bradford's fans greeted their team like returning heroes rather than a side that had just gone down, their two years in the top flight ended by Everton on Saturday.

Gareth Whalley returned in place of Jamie Lawrence from that side, beaten 2-1 by Liverpool's neighbours after missing two spot-kicks.

The visitors had Steven Gerrard back from suspension and swapped Michael Owen for Robbie Fowler as their only changes from the team that won at Coventry, and they knew once again only a win would do in their chase for the Champions League.

Liverpool could have been ahead inside a minute. McAllister's free-kick from the left was met first by Sami Hyypia and then nodded on by Owen for Markus Babbel, whose instinctive downward header was saved superbly low to his right by Gary Walsh.

But after five minutes Benito Carbone appeared on the left of the box to lash a dipping volley fractionally wide of the far post.

Carbone, neat and nimble, had another chance on 10 minutes when Sander Westerveld half punched away a Robbie Blake corner, and the little Italian hooked the dropping ball over the bar.

Liverpool looked nervy and disjointed, but Emile Heskey - caught offside far too often - finally latched on to a Babbel long ball and forced another good low save from Walsh.

Dietmar Hamann lifted a ball into space for Owen to chase, and he went wide of Walsh before pulling his shot across goal and fractionally wide.

Gerrard retrieved the ball from the by-line and fired in a low shot that Andy Myers hacked off the line.

Danny Murphy then threaded a fine pass through Bradford's defence and both Owen and Gerrard scampered away onto it, but again Walsh saved the day by snuffing out the danger.

Owen and Heskey combined well to set up McAllister for an 18-yard drive on 40 minutes that Walsh again saved.

A minute into the second half the visitors took the lead when McAllister's long ball was chased by Owen. The England striker outpaced Gunnar Halle before squeezing an angled left-footed shot past Walsh.

Owen got away again five minutes later onto a Murphy pass, but this time Walsh made a spectacular block at the striker's feet.

The home side were presented with a golden opportunity by referee Jeff Winter on 56 minutes, after the official decided that Westerveld had picked up a Hyypia backpass and awarded a free-kick on the six-yard line.

Westerveld was booked for arguing and somehow Jamie Carragher hurled himself from the mass of players on the line to block Carbone's shot after Jess had tapped the free-kick to him.

But then it was the time for McAllister's intervention again, who netted off the underside of the bar after Halle had been penalised for a foul on Owen.

Carbone produced three efforts in the closing stages while Jess also went close, while Carragher earned a booking for flattening the lively Italian.

Teams

Bradford: Walsh, Myers, Molenaar, Halle, Jacobs, Whalley, McCall, Blake, Carbone, Jess, Ward.

Subs Not Used: Davison, Nolan, Lawrence, Grant, McKinlay.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Murphy (Berger 81), Hamann, Gerrard, McAllister (Smicer 81), Owen, Heskey.

Subs Not Used: Ziege, Fowler, Arphexad.

Booked: Westerveld, Carragher.

Goals: Owen 47, McAllister 67.

Att: 22,057

Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).