Liverpool again failed to take advantage of an Everton slip-up in the increasingly bitter race for the fourth Premiership place, which will ensure a crack at next season's Champions League.

Not even a wonderful goal from Steven Gerrard could inspire a much-changed Liverpool to victory as they now prepare for the momentous Champions League semi-final decider with Chelsea, where even victory in the final now seems unlikely to allow the Reds back into the competition.

They were half asleep in the first half and found themselves behind to an early Szilard Nemeth strike, cancelled out by Gerrard's second-half classic from 25 yards.

But no matter how much pressure the home side mounted, the second critical goal was beyond them as Boro claimed a point in their own drive to clinch a UEFA Cup place.

Liverpool have now won just once in their last five league games, the demands of the Champions League taking their toll on mind and body.

Benitez made five changes from the side which drew at Chelsea in midweek - only Igor Biscan was absent through injury, with Milan Baros and Djimi Traore not even on the bench.

Sami Hyypia and Luis Garcia were amongst the substitutes with Harry Kewell, Mauricio Pellegrino, Fernando Morientes, Antonio Nunez and Stephen Warnock coming into the team as the Spanish coach attempted another selection balancing act with Tuesday's clash against Jose Mourinho's men obviously on his mind.

But it is pretty much accepted now that Benitez does not have the strength in depth to rotate his squad with any degree of confidence - and the Kop's fears at such wholesale if understandable changes were underlined after just four minutes when Boro took the lead.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's lay off sent Nemeth driving through from midfield, brushing aside Pellegrino to emerge into the box and coolly drill a low shot past Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool responded with slow, patient build-up which may work in Europe but has allowed Premiership sides to throw up a deep, defiant defence.

John Arne Riise almost embarrassed Brad Jones with a vicious, swerving drive from 25 yards which the goalkeeper could not hold and allowed to bounce out off his chest - although no Liverpool man was following up.

But Liverpool were shaky at the back whenever Pellegrino was involved, indecision or a slowness to react causing defensive team-mate Jamie Carragher plenty of anxious moments.

Only a Nunez shot into the side-netting and a Riise header over threatened to trouble Boro in a frustrating first half for the Anfield faithful.

It was no surprise to see Pellegrino taken off at the break, although he had been complaining of a leg injury in the closing minutes of the first half. Luis Garcia came on and Riise moved to centre back.

And the Spanish forward almost equalised when he met a Steve Finnan cross with a powerful header which Jones managed to scoop over the bar.

A minute later Liverpool were level with an absolute stunner from Gerrard.

Riise's angled ball from deep on the right was met by Gerrard 25 yards out and his dipping volley crashed past Jones into the top corner to send the Kop wild.

Liverpool now looked a changed team. Kewell saw a close-range header deflected wide from Xabi Alonso's chip and Morientes nodded just wide from Riise's cross.

Jones spilled another long range effort, this time from Kewell, who then forced his way past Davies to test Jones at the near post.

The pressure mounted with a Luis Garcia header from Gerrard's pass going just over, before Luis Garcia saw another effort turned away by Jones before being booked for a foul on Boateng.

Liverpool then replaced Nunez with Djibril Cisse as the all-out assault continued, with only a tremendous saving tackle in the box from Gareth Southgate stopping Morientes finishing off a Luis Garcia pass.

Doriva got away with a nasty foul on Luis Garcia before Boudewijn Zenden was booked for a late tackle on Gerrard.

Dietmar Hamann replaced Warnock, the German slotting in at centre-back to allow Riise onto the flanks as Liverpool threw everything forward - but they were unable to force the win they so desperately needed.

Teams

Liverpool Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Pellegrino (Luis Garcia 45), Warnock (Hamann 84), Nunez (Cisse 73), Alonso, Gerrard, Riise, Morientes, Kewell.

Subs Not Used: Hyypia, Carson.

Booked: Nunez, Luis Garcia.

Goals: Gerrard 52.

Middlesbrough Jones, Davies, Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue, Boateng, Nemeth (Downing 62), Doriva, Parlour (Parnaby 78), Zenden, Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: Knight, Reiziger, Morrison.

Booked: Doriva, Parlour, Zenden.

Goals: Nemeth 4.

Att: 43,250

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).