Mark Beeney looks no less error-prone than John Lukic in goal the defence cries out for a leader of Ruddock's authority and it

Mark Beeney looks no less error-prone than John Lukic in goal; the defence cries out for a leader of Ruddock's authority; and it was as sad to find Tomas Brolin watching the ball fly over his head as it was bizarre to see Lee Chapman toiling like a ghostly presence in one of those computer simulations that combine different eras.Yeboah and the Coca-Cola Cup may yet redeem their season. But the harsh truth is that Wilkinson has failed to challenge for the title since winning it in 1992. David Elleray gave a goal kick.Since their three opening wins, Leeds have taken 26 points out of 60, raising their game tantalisingly against Manchester United but otherwise drifting. At least justice of the poetic type was served by what, incredibly, was Liverpool's first penalty this season.

"The courts say you can't be done twice for the same offence," he said, and it was difficult to disagree. "There's something between them that wasn't there at the start of the season."Both got on the scoresheet before Ruddock's final flourish produced a result the bookies rated an 80-1 shot. But the turning point, irrefutably, had been Kelly's trip on Rob Jones. "Rob's never scored, so if Gary had left him he'd probably have missed," Ruddock quipped. Leeds, down to 10 men for the second week running, had missed the joke.There could be no disputing Paul Durkin's decision to point to the spot. No matter that it did not come into the category of the cynical professional foul; the right-back's foot took Jones rather than the ball. The referee was also obliged to banish Kelly - the last defender - which is not to say the rules should not be revised to allow officials to exercise discretion.Then, of course, managers would carp more bitterly than ever about inconsistency Wilkinson, true to form, waxed rather more philosophical.

On this occasion there were mitigating circumstances, if not an excuse. Gary Kelly's dismissal and the resulting penalty ended the match as a contest just after the hour.Liverpool exploited the extra space well, especially the laddish duo of Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler. Their burgeoning understanding must have impressed the watching Terry Venables, who has still to resolve England's striking problems. "The more I see of Stan and Robbie the more excited I get," Evans said. "At half-time," he said, "I was nearly very pleased."By full time, however, Leeds had capitulated on Merseyside for the second time in three weeks.

Funnily enough, the Leeds manager's verdict on the first 45 minutes, in which David James admittedly made three good saves late on, was exactly the kind for which Graham Taylor used to be pilloried. Perverse as it may sound after another landslide victory, the overall performance of what is basically a young, developing team fell below championship quality.For almost half an hour they carried negligible threat. Then, as Howard Wilkinson complained later, Carlton Palmer should have cleared into "the back row of the stand". Instead he tried to dribble in defence, leading to a corner which Neil Ruddock headed in.The Yorkshire contingent's response was a sardonic chant of "Wilko for England". Before Villa could savour the novelty value he repeated the feat.