Rory Delap came closest to breaking the deadlock for Stoke early on when he rattled the bar from close range - and Liverpool could have had no complaints if Tony Pulis' side had claimed all three points.
But captain Steven Gerrard almost snatched the win Liverpool's display barely merited when he angled a free-kick against the bar with six minutes left, then struck a post in stoppage time.
Liverpool never exerted any serious dominance over Stoke, failing to increase the pressure on Manchester United and Chelsea ahead of their meeting at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The game was played out in front of a typically vibrant atmosphere - and in front of Argentina coach Diego Maradona, who was a guest of honour at the Britannia Stadium who was no doubt keeping an eye on Liverpool's Javier Mascherano
