Finally at Liverpool, the big No9 was sent on from the bench to save his side's afternoon with the sort of powerful header in front of the Kop that would have made anyone from Tony Hateley to John Toshack proud.
Unfortunately for Anfield, it was not Andy Carroll. He only got on for the last 10 minutes and was just a spectator as the dramatic events unfolded. Norwich's Grant Holt, formerly of Barrow and Workington, was the second-half substitute who earned his side a notable point with his 55th goal for the club in 100 games. Liverpool could, and really should, have had the game wrapped up after creating a succession of chances, almost all of which fell to the normally deadly Luis Suárez. But the Uruguayan had an off day, while the more limited Norwich striker made the most of what little came his way.
"We're not just a hard-working side, we have some top players," Paul Lambert, the Norwich manager, said. "I thought Suárez's last chance was going in but John Ruddy came up with a world-class save. I hear England are looking at him, they could certainly do a lot worse." Kenny Dalglish thought his side deserved three points on the balance of play, but accepted they had not converted enough opportunities. "When there's only one goal in it you are always liable to get caught," the Liverpool manager said. "I'm disappointed, but we'll play a lot worse than that."
Liverpool could have been two goals up within five minutes. Martin Skrtel rattled Ruddy's bar with a header, then when Suárez easily rounded Leon Barnett to leave himself a clear chance, the Kop gasped in anticipation only for the striker to miss the target. When Craig Bellamy set up Suárez again Ruddy managed to tip his sidefooted effort on to a post, before Stewart Downing squandered the rebound. Liverpool were playing with more urgency and penetration, with not only Bellamy but Glen Johnson restored to the side, and it appeared only a matter of time before Norwich were broken down, though before Suárez fired wide with his third clear chance Wes Hoolahan did manage to bring a save from Pepe Reina.
After surviving the initial rush, Norwich began to play themselves into the game and hold their own in midfield. Reina had to be alert to hold a far-post header from Steve Morison after David Fox's corner. Then Elliott Bennett dispossessed José Enrique on the edge of the area but could get his shot away. By the halfway point of the first half the Norwich fans felt sufficiently emboldened to ask where the famous Anfield atmosphere was. Another 10 minutes and they were making comparisons with libraries, and they had a point.
By the interval it was debatable whether Liverpool deserved to take a lead, though they ended up with one courtesy of a couple of Norwich blunders. Russell Martin was so busy trying to keep Suárez in check as Liverpool played a long ball forward from the back that he inadvertently knocked the ball into Bellamy's path. The much travelled striker was not about to pass up the opportunity to score against his first club but his shot was helped into the net by a deflection from Marc Tierney that took Ruddy out of the equation.
Norwich began the second half promisingly, Anthony Pilkington bringing a diving save from Reina, but were lucky not to got further behind when Suárez demonstrated his movement and ability to make something out of nothing. Turning and skipping away from a bemused Barnett for the second time Suárez made space for a shot, and though he flicked the ball past Ruddy, Martin's outstretched leg appeared from nowhere to divert the effort on to an upright and out. Suárez looked as if an entire season's luck had deserted him in a single afternoon, though his misses never appeared likely to be costly until Norwich pulled themselves back into the game on the hour.
Lambert made an attacking gamble by sending on Holt and within three minutes he headed them level. Hoolahan spread the ball right and from Pilkington's perfect, hanging cross, Holt arrived at a gallop to beat Jamie Carragher, Johnson and Reina and thump home a header. Holt had an equally inviting chance three minutes later, from a Pilkington cross from the left, but Reina stayed on his line and beat the ball away.
Only then did Dalglish call on Carroll, puzzling some home fans by cutting another of his supply lines when Downing was asked to make way. As Bellamy had already been replaced by Jordan Henderson it meant Carroll had to operate without natural wingers on either flank. He managed little of note, missing his one opportunity, a close-range header from a Steven Gerrard cross in added time.
Suárez missed a couple more chances before the end, Barnett recovered some kudos with a great tackle on the charging Charlie Adam, and Norwich escaped with a well-deserved point, though only after heroics from Ruddy to keep out Suárez's volley in the dying seconds.
Despite an FA request not to discuss the two players involved while an investigation into last week's accusations of alleged racism takes place, Dalglish again chose to offer unequivocal backing. "There are people questioning Luis Suárez's integrity, it's their integrity that needs questioning," he said. "On the pitch he is exemplary, and we have complete faith in him and the way he conducts himself."
