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A frustrating game for Reds fans but Cisse clinches all three points placing Liverpool seven points clear of Blackburn
Morientes has another chance from the centre of the penalty area but puts his header wide
Riise's left-footed shot from 25 yards is parried by Friedel only as far as Morientes who has an open net six yards in front of him but misses to the left
Javier Sanz Luis Garcia head Riise's cross wide from the centre of the area
Robbie Savage is lucky to still be on the pitch as he commits a second foul in quick succession this time on Alonso
Robbie Savage is booked for a foul on Steve Finnan
David Bentley has a go from 25 yards which Jose Manuel Reina saves
A double booking for David Bentley and Lucas Neill, Bentley for the initial foul and Neill for dissent
Djibril Cisse is put through by Alonso and from 25 yards gives Liverpool the lead to the relief of the frustrated home fans
Stephen Warnock is replaced by John Arne Riise
Morten Gamst Pedersen and Kerimoglu Tugay both replaced by Brett Emerton and Aaron Mokoena giving Rovers some fresh legs to try and see the game out
Peter Crouch is replaced by Fernando Morientes
Garcia's cross finds Cisse who fires a bullet from 18 yards but misses to the left
Pedersen's foul on Steve Finnan gives Alonso a free kick from the right wing which is headed from 12-yards out by Cisse but Freidel tips the ball over for a corner
Zenden's cross looks as though it could dip in under the cross bar forcing Brad Friedel to punch it over the bar for a corner
Rafael Benitez is trying to inject some life back into the game and brings Jose Miguel Josemi off for Javier Sanz Luis Garcia
After a baron spell of play Cisse has blasted a shot from 25 yards but misses to the right
Pedersen's inswinging corner is cleared from the near post by Reina
Numerous chances for both sides in an exciting half which has seen Khizanishvili sent off but neither side has capitalised
Robbie Savage concedes a free kick down the left channel. Zenden unleashes a 25-yard stike but misses to the left
Cisse heads Josemi's corner just over the bar from the centre of the penalty area
Tugay handles the ball and provides the Reds with a free kick down the right side. Carragher has a right-footed shot from 6-yards which Friedel saves
Paul Dickov is replaced by Andy Todd in what looks to be a tactical substitution
Zenden's 20-yard strike from the resulting free kick hits the top of the bar and luckily for Rovers finds it's way into the Kop rather than the net
Zurab Khizanishvili is sent off for a foul on Cisse inches outside of the Rovers area. Khizanishvili was the last man so the ref had no choice
Alonso's inswinging corner kick is punched clear by Brad Friedel
Great chance for Robbie Savage who has a right-footed shot from the centre of the penalty area but misses to the right
Djibril Cisse's has a chance with a header from the centre of the penalty area but puts it wide
Shefki Kuqi puts a 12-yard header over the bar from Bentley's cross
Mohamed Sissoko's corner kick is caught by Brad Friedel
Peter Crouch is fouled by Nelsen out on the left. Carragher latches on to Alonso's curling free kick but misses wide left with a header
Alonso puts an outswinging corner into the centre of the area and Cisse tries an overhead scissor kick from six yards out which is saved by Friedel
Alonso gives away a free kick as he brings down Pedersen on the left side of Liverpool's half. Robbie Savage's free kick is easily saved by Reina
The ball is cleared and at the other end Mohamed Sissoko lets loose with fearsome strike only to miss wide
Robbie Savage swings a free kick in from the right-hand side flicked on by Pedersen's left foot but Liverpool luckily clear for a corner
The game gets underway at Anfield
Liverpool earned only their second win of the season thanks to a 25-yard strike from fired-up striker Djibril Cisse - sealing a stuttering 1-0 triumph over ten-man Blackburn Rovers. The Frenchman, frustrated by his lack of starting opportunities this season, drove home from a free-kick with 15-minutes left on the clock after squandering countless chances. Rovers were reduced to ten-men in the first half when defender Zurab Khizanishvili was giving his marching orders for a foul on Cisse. For the Reds, seeking to recover from the Chelsea mauling a fortnight ago, Sami Hyypia was an unexplained absentee from the 16-man squad. Djimi Traore joined skipper-for-the-day Jamie Carragher at centre-half. The impatient Cisse was handed a start alongside Peter Crouch. Following the inconvenience of an international break in which Liverpool lost influential captain Steven Gerrard and saw Anfield favourite Peter Crouch receive a disgraceful reception at the hands of England fans, the club must have been delighted to return to Premiership action, seeking to rebuild confidence following a difficult start to the campaign. But after three straight wins, Rovers' boss Mark Hughes would also have been delighted to get back to domestic business. The Welshman welcomed countryman Robbie Savage back from suspension, but Craig Bellamy failed to recover from injury meaning a start for Shefki Kuqi, who scored both goals in the 2-0 win over West Brom. After a disjointed opening, it was Cisse who had the first chance to break the deadlock, but wastefully tried an acrobatic volley rather than opt for a free header from six-yards out. Carragher headed just wide moments later. But Liverpool seemed unduly rushed. Passes went astray, rash tackles went in and Gerrard's absence was sorely apparent. But Rovers were little better, in a strangely subdued Anfield atmosphere. The anxiety levels at Anfield are reaching fever pitch. Capitalising on some woeful Liverpool passing Roversalmost had the lead through Savage, who was back from suspension. He fired just wide of Jose Reina's goal on 25-minutes. Confusion reigned on 33 minutes when Liverpool were initially awarded a penalty for a foul on Cisse by Khizanishvili after the Frenchman was set clear by the improving Bolo Zenden. Referee, Mark Halsey was overruled by the assistant referee, who correctly asserted that the foul took place outside the box. Following the dismissal, Zenden hit the bar with the free-kick, but the sides went in at the break on level terms. After the break Cisse continued to be Liverpool's chief threat, but the striker's opportunities would have been doubled for just taking a chance on the numerous knockdowns fed to him by the majestic Crouch. But Rovers had understandably settled in deep for a point and Liverpool desperately needed a shot in the arm. Cisse was doing his best to provide it. The Frenchman forced the first save out of ex-Anfield keeper Brad Friedel with yet another header with 25 minutes left on the clock as he tried to rouse the home fans. He missed another chance, this time with his feet, from Luis Garcia's cross, blasting wide from the edge of the edge of the box. Fernando Morientes replaced Crouch in attack, making his first appearance in two months, but he did little to break the resolute Rovers rearguard. Cisse finally had his goal on 75 minutes, and his celebration matched the ferocity of the finish. Blackburn fans, who had taunted the Frenchman throughout with chants of "Cisse, how's the leg" following the horrific break suffered at Ewood Park last season, were left with egg on their faces as he dances joyously in front of them. Morientes squandered three simple chances to get his eye back in, towards the end, but the day belonged to Cisse. Liverpool were far from impressive, but a win was paramount. Man of the Match: Djibril Cisse - A wonderful finish which capped a fine performance from the highly-strung Frenchman. In a season where Liverpool are struggling for goals with Cisse on the bench, starting he could have had five.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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