Liverpool's maligned stars gave Gerard Houllier the lifeline he so desperately needed on a night when anything but a convincing victory would have given further ammunition to his detractors.

In the end the Kop rose to sing "Allez, allez, Gerard Houllier" - a song not heard much in these parts recently - in a moment of warm affection for a man who has been put under increasing pressure following last weekend's FA Cup defeat at Portsmouth.

At the end the Frenchman happily grasped the hands offered by fans behind the dugout, and shook hands with every one of his players as they left the pitch following this UEFA Cup third round first leg win.

After a first half which had seen Levski look dangerous and organised, Liverpool produced the sort of performance that has been sadly lacking in recent weeks.

And when Houllier needed something special from his skipper, Steven Gerrard - who became a father for the first time this week - celebrated the new addition to his family with a stunning 25-yard effort to break the deadlock.

Three minutes later Harry Kewell lashed in an even better effort from 35 yards to give Liverpool the cushion they need for next week's return.

Houllier reverted to his tried and trusted European battlers, with Danny Murphy and Milan Baros starting and unpredictable Frenchmen Anthony Le Tallec and Bruno Cheyrou consigned to the substitutes' bench.

Liverpool knew they were facing a side who are unbeaten away from home in the UEFA Cup this term and had lost just one match in all competitions all season - and did not take the Bulgarians lightly.

Levski rarely committed more than top scorer Georgi Ivanov forward, while opting to man-mark Gerrard with the tenacious Asen Bukarev.

Chances were few and far between - and Liverpool knew they were in for a tough night when Konstantin Golovskoy was booked early on for clattering Baros.

The Czech rose at the far post to send a Murphy corner just wide but Golovskoy saw a 20-yard effort deflected inches wide at the other end with Chris Kirkland floundering.

Levski were happy to invite Liverpool on to their back line, hoping for the quick break from defence.

And in Kostadin Vidolov and Nigerian Omomigho Temile they had the players capable of taking advantage.

After Liverpool's tentative opening, the visitors achieved more possession and produced quick inter-passing which forced Liverpool back.

Kewell fired over a cross which deflected wildly off Elin Topuzakov, forcing goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov into a leaping save he was hardly expecting.

Increasingly Vidolov pulled the midfield strings, showing clever control in tight situations, while his colleagues gave nobody a second for creative thought.

A Liverpool corner from the left from Gerrard curled in and was missed by Michael Owen, Dietmar Hamann and Baros, before Owen headed a Kewell cross wide of the far post.

Baros appeared unfortunate when he was sent spinning into the advertising hoardings after a challenge from Ilian Stoyanov, with TV replays suggesting a penalty may have been awarded.

Owen had four quick chances after the interval to break the deadlock, forcing Ivankov to palm away a close range header and then stabbing wide after Hamann sent him clear.

Gerrard set up the next one, a much harder chance from the corner of the box which curled away to safety, before Owen snatched at another effort 12 yards out, allowing Ivankov to save.

Owen clearly had decided to shoot on sight, and did just that from 30 yards, but again Ivankov saved to his left.

Daniel Borimirov was the next to be booked for fouling Baros, this one on 63 minutes with the Czech in full flow.

The deadlock was finally broken on 67 minutes when Murphy's corner was played short to Kewell and then Steve Finnan.

When the cross was nodded out by Bukarev, driving force Gerrard drilled the dropping ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.

And it got better three minutes later when Kewell again worked an angle for himself 35 yards out before lashing a stunning shot into the far top corner.

Baros went on a twisting run on the left before setting up Kewell, but the shot was charged down, before breaking again and testing Ivankov from 20 yards when a pass to Owen was a better option.

El-Hadji Diouf replaced Kewell with five minutes left, before The Kop sang Houllier's name with the whole stadium applauding as the Frenchman came to the line.

And when they sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" immediately afterwards, it was clearly aimed at a manager who has been under such intense pressure.

Teams:

Liverpool Kirkland, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Murphy, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell (Diouf 85), Owen, Baros (Cheyrou 90).

Subs Not Used: Dudek, Le Tallec, Traore, Biscan, Welsh.

Goals: Gerrard 67, Kewell 70.

Levski Sofia Ivankov, Wagner, Markov, Stoyanov, Topuzakov, Temile (Telkiyski 71), Bukarev, Golovskoy, Borimirov (Stankov 76), Vidolov (Chilikov 71), Georgi Ivanov.

Subs Not Used: Petkov, Biser Ivanov, Simonovic, Stanislav Angelov.

Booked: Golovskoy, Markov, Borimirov.

Att: 39,149

Ref: Rene Temmink (Holland).