Gerard Houllier bolted from his post-match press conference in the Fratton Park directors' box when asked about Patrik Berger.

"No comment", he replied as he headed for the exit. But Harry Redknapp waxed lyrical after Berger sentenced his old club to a third successive defeat, four months after leaving Anfield for the south coast on a free transfer.

Liverpool boss Houllier's decision to let Berger go is looking an increasingly bad one. And Redknapp's decision to sign him is looking shrewder by the week.

"Patrik never played at all last year but he's in good form and is enjoying being a regular," said Redknapp, who lives near the Czech Republic midfielder and his young family in Poole.

Redknapp added: "Patrik's quality. The problem was whether his knee would stand up to it. That's what scared my chairman when I said I wanted to sign him, but I'm in a situation where I have to take risks - I've got to take people who there are one or two question marks over.

"But I was convinced that Patrik would be okay after speaking to him - he's a terrific free transfer.

"I'd rather take him, Teddy Sheringham or Steve Stone than an unproven young first division player any day of the week."

The last two seasons of Berger's seven-year Anfield career were marred by injury and his performance on Saturday was a sure sign that he felt he had a point to prove.

After ending a flowing move with a clinical near-post finish for his second Pompey goal, he produced his best display yet for the club. The balance he provides on the left flank was a key factor in the impressive start to the season - he was absent with a groin injury when Pompey lost to Blackburn and Birmingham. But against Liverpool he was up for it. His passing was a joy, he ran like a dervish and could have had a second goal in first half injury time, when he was denied by Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool, missing the injured Michael Owen, were bereft of ideas. Their possession warranted a point but they did not create many more genuine chances than Pompey, who hit the woodwork twice.

Emile Heskey shrugged off Arjan De Zeeuw before striking the base of Shaka Hislop's right-hand upright after 60 seconds and Steve Gerrard had a first half free-kick cleared off the line. Liverpool had three golden chances to equalise after the break but John Arne Riise blasted over the bar from ten yards and substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle twice failed to hit the target from similar range during a frantic finish.

The outstanding Yakubu had produced the shot of the match seconds before Sinama-Pongolle's misses.

Nigerian Yakubu, who is yet to score at Fratton Park this season, was denied the goal his performance deserved by the crossbar, which felt the full force of his 87th minute 20-yard thunderbolt. Earlier, the ineffective Igor Biscan had headed a Sebastian Schemmel free-kick against the angle of Dudek's right-hand post and crossbar.

"I felt we deserved the win," added Redknapp, who still rates the 1-1 draw at Highbury last month as Pompey's best result of the season.

Pompey ended a run of three successive Premiership defeats by beating Liverpool and erased the memory of the 2-1 reverse at home to Charlton a fortnight earlier. "We've had nine games without one bad performance but after three defeats I did wonder if the confidence would go but the players have been outstanding, they were as bright as anything in training this week, the heads haven't gone down, so it was nice to bounce back," added Redknapp, whose side conceded two late goals against Charlton.

"We could have thrown it way again, but they missed a couple of chances and we stuck in there and defended well. The crowd were important as well - there's always a cup-tie atmosphere at Fratton Park."