THE GOALS
1-0 F.Torres 5'
http://videos.sapo.pt/w7bdQpnevuFI42mbAPhz
http://videos.sapo.pt/w7bdQpnevuFI42mbAPhz
2-0 F.Torres 33'
http://videos.sapo.pt/iKrzisI8BB7BEju6vsS0
http://videos.sapo.pt/iKrzisI8BB7BEju6vsS0
3-0 D.Agger 83'
http://videos.sapo.pt/toOzPWk3ucZjPyRhTBc5
http://videos.sapo.pt/toOzPWk3ucZjPyRhTBc5
THE STATS
Liverpool - Blackburn
2 Goals 0
25 Shots 7
10 Shots Off 2
8 Corners 2
0 Offside 3
13 Fouls 6
2 Yellows 1
0 Reds 0
60% Possession 40%
THE GAME AS IT HAPPENED
Taken from Daily Mail by Malcolm Folley
Taken from Daily Mail by Malcolm Folley
GOAL: 90 Liverpool 4 Blackburn 0 Blackburn's players had brought a wreath with them onto the pitch at the start of the game as a mark of respect for those who died at Hillsborough - and they left empty handed and thoroughly defeated. David Ngog, who replaced Kuyt in the 85th minute, scored Liverpool's fourth with a header from almost under Blackburn's goal. For the next couple of hours, at least, Liverpool had reclaimed ther summit of the Premier League. The message to Ferguson had been quite emphatic - Game on!
GOAL: 83 Liverpool 3 Blackburn 0 A goal for the scrapbook of memorable moments at Anfield from Agger. He found himself in space 25 yards out and just pulled the trigger - the ball flashed into the top corner to ignite hysteria on the Kop. 'We're going to win the League, we're going to win the League,' they chanted as Robinson retrieved the ball from the goal in front of them. In truth, this was never anything other than a stroll in the sun for Liverpool. Once more the pressure had been transferred to Manchester United, and Benitez's old friend, Sir Alex Ferguson. This is the time of the season when talk is cheap. Performances and results are what matter - and Liverpool delivered on both counts over lunch-time on Merseyside.
80 At the other end, El Zhar skilfully played himself in on Blackburn's goal, but Robinson denied him the space he needed. Then Robinson made another block from Mascherano. From the corner by Alonso Warnock cleared off the line from Riera's header.
77 Blackburn's first decent chance fell to Samba - but with some predictability his shot carried no punch. It is what happens when you have a central defender at centre forward.
74 As expected, Torres was invited to work a short shift by Benitez. Torres, justly, was afforded a standing ovation as he departed Anfield to be replaced by Nabil El Zhar. Torres will be needed to be firing on all cylinders at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening if Liverpool are to have any hope of plotting the downfall of Chelsea.
69 It would be interesting to know the mileage Kuyt has covered this afternoon: his work rate has been immense. Not content with his primary role as a striker, he showed a frequent willingness to make covering runs to close down Blackburn players trying to get out of their own half.
66 Tugay was withdrawn by Allardyce in favour of Vincenzo Grella. Somehow, there was a sense that this was little more than an academic exercise.
63 Riera manouevred himself into a shooting position on the left hand side of the penalty area, but he missed the target. Liverpool's front men, Torress and Kuyt, continued to make themselves available with some intelligent running, but the final pass from their team-mates was proving an elusive commodity.
60 On the hour, Allardyce exchanged Carlos Villanueva for David Dunn. Perhaps Dunn was carrying an injury,as Allardyce shook him warmly by the hand as he left the field.
56 A moment of inspiration from Samba, at last. He cleverly worked the ball to Stephen Warnock, now in central midfield, and when Agger made a tackle the ball fell once more to Samba. His attempt to release Doran into space on the right only failed as the Blackburn sub had strayed just offside. Shame.
54 Robinson took a Blackburn free kick just 10 yards into his own half. Nothing came from it. Behind one goal, Blackburn's frustrated travelling fans began to chant, 'Benni McCarthy. Benni McCarthy'. The people had spoken!
50 Allardyce made a switch bringing Aaron Doran from the bench to replace Aaron Mokoena. Treacy switched from the right side of midfield to left.
46 Allardyce was deprived the services of Roque Santa Cruz, Jason Roberts, Morten Gamst Pedersen and El-Hadji Diouf, yet it still seemed negative in the extreme to employ Samba in attack. At least, the ploy failed. Big Sam, in truth, would have looked at this game without much expectation. In his days with Bolton, he became astute at identifying games where points could be won. And,as they say, old dogs don't learn new tricks. Sam is sticking with tried and trusted techniques - and who can blame him? Survival is the only game in town for Blackburn and no one has beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League for 16 months. Benitez is continuing to treat Blackburn with respect as he has kept Torres in his team for the start of the second half at least.
45 Two minutes added on time - two more minutes for Blackburn to defend. Will Benitez be tempted to spare Torres any further action after the break to save him for the trip to Chelsea? We will find out after the interval.
43 On the morning of the match, Carragher had declared this was the most important League match in his 13 years as a Liverpool player. You took his point - but, frankly, the football community would be stunned if Blackburn could leave Anfield with anything other than post-match cup of tea!
39 Blackburn may have picked up 11 points from their last six games, but already this afternoon had now become an exercise in damage limitation. With four men across the back, five in midfield and only Samba, a centre back, remember, up front they hardly threatened to embarrass Liverpool. Nevertheless, Benitez stood on the touchline chuntering away at his team. Clearly, he was in no mood to deal with any more surprises.
GOAL: 33 Liverpool 2 Blackburn 0 Blackburn paid a heavy price for the foul Keith Andrews committed on Albert Riera - and it went way beyond the booking Andrews received. From the free kick by Xabi Alonso on Liverpool's left, Torres made a mazy run from the back post to the front to score his second goal with a bullet-like header. His movement had echoes of the run that Branislav Ivanovic had made on this ground in midweek when he headed Chelsea level and began the Liverpool's downfall. Clearly, Torres had been at work on the training ground in the last couple of days.
30 Blackburn retaliated with a move from the Route One mannual. Robinson's downfield clearance was allowed to bounce by Agger and Reina was required to win an airial battle with Samba. The Liverpool 'keeper ensured the problem was erased with another swipe at the ball with his gloved right fist.
27 Robinson was soon in the thick of the action yet again. When Insua crossed from the left Kuyt met the ball with his head, but to the dismay of Liverpool's fans his effort was sufficiently close to Robinson for the former England goalkeeper to make another important save.
26 Blackburn defender Ryan Nelson needed treatment after being wiped out in a collision - with Robinson.
24 A free kick from Alvaro Arbeloa found Agger at the far post, but the central defender's header was cushioned in his stomach with ease by Robinson. Even so, Robinson had seen enough of the pattern of play developing to appreciate that this was probably going to be a busy afternoon for him.
21 In a rare moment of activity at Liverpool's end of the pitch, goalkeeper Pepe Reina twice came yards out of his goal to punch the ball. The first time he missed and Insua headed the ball out of danger; but it Blackburn quickly launched the ball skyward again and this time Reina made contact.
16 Liverpool missed an opportunity to effectively shut Blackburn out of the game. Dirk Kuyt accelerated into space on the left as Liverpool launched a swift counter-attack. The Dutchman reacted to a lung-bursting run from Javier Mascherano by placing the ball into the path of the Argentine midfield player. Mascherano appeared to be tapped from behind as he entered Blackburn's penalty area, but he stayed on his feet to unleash a shot that Robinson parried clear. The ball fell to Torres, but the Spaniard was slightly off balance and his shot on this occasion was wild and wayward. It was an escape for Allardyce's men.
13 After absorbing the disappointment of being so comprehensively crushed by Chelsea's fast, inventive football, Liverpool returned to work with a commendable verve yesterday. All anyone connected with the club can do is to continue to apply pressure on Manchester United - and with United not playing until later this afternoon what better way to start.
7 Daniel Agger drew a yellow card from referee Mike Riley after fouling Keith Treacy.
GOAL: 5 Liverpool 1 Blackburn 0 As an antidote to the hangover from Chelsea's visit, the first intervention of Fernando Torres on an afternoon bathed in sunshine was a bit special. The Spaniard brought a long pass from Jamie Garragher out of the air with his left foot, then volleyed the ball into the far corner of Paul Robinson's goal with a brilliant right-footed volley. Pure class from the striker with the silkiest skills in the business.
4 Bolton manager Sam Allardyce opted to play central defender Christopher Samba in attack rather than Benni McCarthy, whom he left on the sidelines as a substitute.
2 Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez opted to leave Steven Gerrard on the bench. Gerrard has a niggling groin injury and will need to be used carefully in the climax to the season. It seems, Benitez would rather have his club captain available for the second leg of their Champions League tie with Chelsea on Tuesday; not withstanding the fact Liverpool, at 3-1 down, appear to be chasing a lost cause. Lucan and Martin Skrtel also dropped to the bench with Javier Mascherano, Yossi Benayoun and Emiliano Insua coming into the team.
12.43 A large banner on the Kop, declaring 'Justice for the 96', was also a reminder that the truth of what happened that day has not been established to the satisfaction of everyone. On the pitch Liverpool's team linked arms to observe a minute's silence in memory of the dead. Blackburn's team did likewise - and the silence was respectfully observed by one and all. As you'd have hoped, of course.
12.37 Outside the Bill Shankly Gates, supporters arrived in their droves to place floral tributes in front of the memorial to the 96 people who lost their lives at Hillsborough 20 years ago. On Wednesday there will be a memorial service at Anfield, as usual, when the players will be present to remember those whose men, women and children who went to watch a football match in Sheffield and, tragically, never came home. On the Kop, fans sang the Liverpool anthem, 'You'll Never Walk Alone', in strident voice. The poignancy of the anniversary is lost on no one in this city.
MATCH PHOTOS
