McCarthy converted Morten Gamst Pedersen’s 49th-minute cross to give the home side the lead before handing centre stage to his goalkeeper who repeatedly denied Liverpool’s quest for an equaliser.

Having twice saved point-blank Peter Crouch efforts in the first half, the American finger-tipped away a late Xabi Alonso drive while the Spaniard and Craig Bellamy were also denied by the woodwork.

Then Mark Hughes’ men were forced to cling on through five extra minutes of injury-time before gaining the victory which helped haul them clear of the Barclays Premiership drop zone.

But Rafael Benitez’s men will count themselves desperately unfortunate after launching a virtually non-stop barrage which began with a fine chance for Crouch inside the opening 30 seconds.

Returning to his former club on a hot streak of four goals from four games, Bellamy wasted little time to make an impression by crossing for the big front man to head into Friedel’s arms.

It looked like a Rovers defence still smarting from conceding six at Arsenal was going to made to work more overtime with Andre Ooijer next to get in a crucial interception to deny Crouch.

Then with the game still not five minutes old, Friedel was called into action for a second time when he got down well to save a trademark left-foot screamer from John Arne RiiseDavid Bentley fashioned a fine chance for Rovers to take the lead in the 12th minute when he lofted the ball in from the right flank and found Savage, whose free header flashed wide of Jose Reina’s goal.

Friedel was in action again in the 15th minute to block the ball on the line after Bellamy prodded the ball goalwards, with referee Rob Styles waving away penalty claims.

Bellamy was proving a constant thorn in his old club’s side and skipped through the defence again in the 24th minute before crossing only to find no red shirts in the box.

Bellamy had another fine chance in the 34th minute when he got in behind the Rovers defence to meet Riise’s low ball in from the left, but flashed his shot inches wide of the near post.

And Crouch should have done better two minutes later when he met Finnan’s superb cross from the opposite flank but powered his header straight at the alert Friedel from point-blank range.

Four minutes before the break Crouch pounced on a loose ball in the Rovers box to drill another shot goalwards but this time was denied by a block from Ooijer.

Rovers made the visitors pay for their missed opportunities by making a stirring start to the second half and snatching the lead in the 49th minute.

Tugay played a brilliantly incisive ball into the left side of the Liverpool box for Pedersen, who in turn centred for the lurking McCarthy to sweep home from close range.

The home side looked to build on their lead with left-back Lucas Neill then playing a superb ball in the box towards Nonda only for the alert Reina to cut out the danger.

Bellamy came agonisingly close to hauling Liverpool level against his former club on the hour, when he latched onto Finnan’s cross with a hooked shot which clattered the bar with Friedel beaten.

Bellamy was presented with another chance by Brett Emerton’s loose ball at the back but he blazed over the bar – and minutes later was booked by referee Rob Styles for deliberate handball.

Then it was Kuyt’s turn to miss a golden chance for the visitors as he was played a square ball by fellow substitute Fabio Aurelio in the box but saw his low shot saved brilliantly by Friedel.

Alonso became the second Liverpool player to clatter the woodwork in the 76th minute with a searing right-footed drive which whizzed dangerously to Friedel’s left.

And then Friedel took over to repel Liverpool’s increasingly desperate advances, blocking Alonso's effort from a tight angle then diving full stretch to tip the Spaniard’s powerful drive around the post.