Norwich City 1 Liverpool 2: Liverpool had too much for a typically game Norwich side yesterday as two goals in six second-half minutes effectively sealed the contest and lifted the visitors to fifth place, leapfrogging Middlesbrough who play today.

It would, however, be no surprise if the visitors left Carrow Road looking slightly shame-faced given that, after all their vociferous criticism of Mike Riley in the wake of the weekend defeat by Chelsea, they were saved from going a goal down here by a controversial refereeing decision.

To add to the irony it was the Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who could be in hot water with the Football Association after slating Riley over his failure to give a penalty for Tiago's handball at Anfield on Saturday, who was the beneficiary.

In the 54th minute Darren Huckerby broke behind Steve Finnan and crossed, only for the covering Carragher to palm the ball out for a corner.

Howard Webb ignored Norwich's long and loud appeals for a penalty and four minutes later Liverpool scored.

Six minutes later they had scored again and, with Crystal Palace snaffling three points later in the afternoon, Norwich ended the day back in the relegation zone.

Carragher maintained a diplomatic silence over the refereeing but he was in no doubt about the importance of the result as the race for the fourth Champions League place intensifies.

"It's not just Everton, it's Middlesbrough - and Spurs are getting up there now," he said.

"It's the Champions League spot we are after and it was good to get a result because it puts a bit of pressure on them."

This was not Liverpool at their most convincing. Before John Arne Riise's smart diagonal ball split the City defence 13 minutes after the restart and teed Luis Garcia up for their lofted opener, Norwich's goalkeeper Robert Green had barely been troubled.

With Milan Baros still injured, Neil Mellor struggled and Antonio Nunez suffered from wayward distribution.

Nevertheless, Liverpool got their second goal after Craig Fleming's weak clearance was charged down by the substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle and the ball fell kindly into the striker's path. His effort was wonderfully saved by Green only for the ball to fall at the feet of the lurking Riise, who from 12 yards out had an empty goal to aim at.

"In the first half I thought that the teams were almost similar," said Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez.

"But once we scored our goals I thought we controlled the second half."

Ryan Jarvis, an 18-year-old making only his third Premiership appearance, gave the visitors a late scare with a fine 20-yard shot into the top corner but Liverpool kept their nerve.

The Norwich manager Nigel Worthington suggesting afterwards that his main transfer target, Crewe's England under-21 striker Dean Ashton, had been priced out of his reach.

"Spurs have been knocked back at £2 million so, yes, he's out of our range," he said.

The former Liverpool defender Eddie Spicer has died, aged 82.

Spicer, who was born in the city, played the majority of his 168 games for the club at left-back and was a member of the team which won the league championship in 1947.

NORWICH CITY: Green, Helveg, Doherty, Fleming, Charlton, Jonson, Bentley, Mulryne (Brennan 67), Francis (Jarvis 78), Huckerby, McKenzie (Crow 67). Subs Not Used: Drury, Gallacher. Booked: Francis, Bentley. Goal: Jarvis 88.

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise (Traore 82), Nunez (Hamann 77), Diao, Gerrard, Warnock, Luis Garcia, Mellor (Sinama Pongolle 61). Subs Not Used: Raven, Harrison. Booked: Finnan, Hyypia, Warnock. Goals: Luis Garcia 58, Riise 64.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).