Football
PA Sport 9y

Steve Bruce delighted as Hull City earn away point at Liverpool

#INSERT type:image caption:Hull's James Chester makes a challenge on Liverpool's Mario Balotelli. END#

Steve Bruce hailed Hull for their "excellent" point in a goalless draw against Liverpool at Anfield, a week after they were denied all three at Arsenal by a last-ditch equaliser.

Bruce reserved special praise for third-choice goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, in the side following injuries to Allan McGregor and Steve Harper, whose early save denied Mario Balotelli a first Premier League goal for the Reds.

He said: "When you come to Liverpool, like the Emirates last week, you have to make sure you play well. If you play well and take something, it is excellent for a club like ours. So we are very pleased with it.

"I would expect him [Jakupovic] to make those saves but, to be fair to the kid, he has waited a long time. It is not easy being the third-choice goalkeeper.

"The corners were raining in from Steven Gerrard and he stood up to the task of it. Maybe, 18 months ago, he found that a struggle.

"He will remember that -- he has kept a clean sheet at Anfield."

Bruce praised Balotelli, saying the striker had agreed to swap shirts with one of his players despite the furore that surrounded his half-time shirt swap with Real Madrid's Pepe in the Champions League.

He said: "I thought he was their best player. There is a lot written about him and a lot of debate about him, and he is not everyone's cup of tea, but he is a bit of a character, a bit of a maverick.

"When you sign a maverick, you have to treat him like one and get the best out of him somehow. He is going through one of those sticky periods, but the kid is a talent.

"He was good-spirited enough to swap shirts. So, one of them [Hull players] has got it -- but he did it out of the road of the cameras this time.''

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