Boro boss Steve McClaren continued his woeful start in charge on Teesside with his third straight defeat.
The new man in charge decided to switch formations with the sweeper system reinstalled after two straight defeats.
But the move proved ineffective as a lacklustre performance from defence through to attack meant that McClaren's record read 0 points from a possible nine.
Goals by Kevin Campbell in the 17th minute with a free header from a corner and a Scott Gemmill piledriver on 52 minutes meant Boro returned from Merseyside still waiting to register their first points of the new season.
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