- Santa Cruz (86)
- Alonso (69), Benayoun (79), Gerrard (90)
- Date:2008-12-06
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Ewood Park
- Attendance:26920
- Referee:Marriner, A
Live Commentary
90mins
FULL-TIME: BLACKBURN 1-3 LIVERPOOL. The Reds stay top of the Premier League despite being below-par for much of the game.
90mins
BLACKBURN 1-3 LIVERPOOL: GERRARD wraps up the game with a simple finish into an empty net after Paul Robinson came out of his area.
90mins
Matt Derbyshire makes way for Keith Treacy in Blackburn's last throw of the dice.
90mins
Liverpool have a corner and will take their time.
89mins
There's four minutes of added time for Blackburn to try to save something from the game.
87mins
Albert Riera is on for Yossi Benayoun so no Robbie Keane today.
85mins
Roque Santa Cruz pulls one back for Blackburn with a far post header from a cross from the right.
84mins
Another change as Johann Vogel replaces Tugay.
83mins
Javier Mascherano is off and Lucas Leiva comes on.
82mins
The Blackburn fans are already streaming out of Ewood Park.
81mins
Benni McCarthy is on for Morten Gamst Pedersen.
79mins
Yossi Benayoun cut inside Stephen Warnock and drilled his shot home low and hard from an awkward angle.
78mins
Blackburn's confidence has ebbed away after the goal and the fans are very quiet.
77mins
Liverpool are stroking the ball around now.
75mins
Roque Santa Cruz is unmarked but puts his header wide.
73mins
Liverpool haven't played well but they look like they're going to stay top of the league.
70mins
Blackburn are trying to get forward as they look to get back into the game.
68mins
Liverpool finally make the breakthrough, Xabi Alonso passing the ball past Paul Robinson from Dirk Kuyt's pass.
65mins
Robbie Keane is still warming up.
63mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen looks in discomfort and is holding his shoulder.
62mins
Nabil El Zhar is on for Ryan Babel.
60mins
Paul Robinson makes a great save from a thunderous Steven Gerrard shot and the ball falls to Yossi Benayoun who can't find the back of the net.
59mins
Steven Gerrard's delivery from a free-kick 40 yards out is terrible and the ball sails out of play.
59mins
Stephen Warnock is booked for a foul on Ryan Babel.
58mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen's free-kick is easily cleared.
57mins
Alvaro Arbeloa is booked for a foul on the edge of the area and Blackburn have a dangerous free-kick.
56mins
Liverpool are starting to step up the pressure.
55mins
Xabi Alonso has a right-foot shot from Ryan Babel's cross and Paul Robinson produces a good save.
54mins
Xabi Alonso has a free-kick which seemed to get a deflection but the referee gives a goal-kick.
53mins
We could see Robbie Keane being introduced soon.
51mins
Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso need to do more to support Dirk Kuyt if Liverpool are to take anything from this game.
49mins
Blackburn have made a confident start to the second half.
47mins
Liverpool comfortably clear the corner.
46mins
The second half is underway and Morten Gamst Pedersen has won an early corner.
45mins
HALF-TIME: BLACKBURN 0-0 LIVERPOOL. The referee calls an end to a disappointing first half.
45mins
There's one minute of added time.
44mins
Steven Gerrard plays a reverse pass to Dirk Kuyt but Paul Robinson sees the danger and is out quickly.
43mins
Liverpool have a free-kick in the centre circle but Sami Hyypia heads the ball down to no-one.
43mins
Keith Andrews is booked for a foul on Steven Gerrard.
41mins
Dirk Kuyt plays the ball square to Steven Gerrard who doesn't connect properly and puts the ball wide.
39mins
The corner is cleared by Steven Gerrard and Blackburn are enjoying a spell of pressure.
38mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen has a long-range free-kick that Jose Reina dives to his left to clear for a corner.
36mins
Blackburn are working hard but the front two don't have much support.
34mins
Liverpool are seeing plenty of the ball but still haven't tested Paul Robinson.
32mins
Blackburn are flagged offside again as Roque Santa Cruz moves forward.
30mins
Liverpool continue to pass the ball around but again the move comes to nothing.
28mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen cracks in a shot from 30 yards out and Reina pulls off a fantastic save to push the ball on to the crossbar.
27mins
Blackburn seem very tentative going forward despite being at home.
25mins
Liverpool are knocking the ball from side to side but can't get it forward to Dirk Kuyt.
23mins
Matt Derbyshire has the ball in the net but the offside flag was up early.
21mins
Neither keeper has really been tested so far.
20mins
Xabi Alonso has a shot from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross but the ball goes wide of the left-hand post.
19mins
Ryan Babel is booked for deliberate handball from the corner.
18mins
Yossi Benayoun finds himself through on goal after a great run from the right but Stephen Warnock tackles for a corner.
17mins
Tugay has had a good game so far but his ball forward is to no-one in particular.
15mins
Alvaro Arbeloa delivers the ball into the penalty area but Blackburn clear easily.
13mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner is delivered towards the penalty spot but doesn't fall for Roque Santa Cruz and Liverpool clear.
12mins
The noise levels increase as Blackburn win a corner.
11mins
Brett Emerton's effort is high and wide from a long ball from Paul Robinson and doesn't trouble Jose Reina.
10mins
Liverpool don't really look like creating many chances with a packed midfield and only Dirk Kuyt up front.
8mins
Steven Gerrard's outswinger is cleared again and Blackburn are able to try and break forward.
7mins
Liverpool win a corner and Steven Gerrard's short ball is cleared by Stephen Warnock for another.
6mins
Both teams keep giving the ball away and Blackburn look edgy.
4mins
Liverpool are keeping the ball well as they look to dominate the early possession.
2mins
Can Blackburn shut out Liverpool to ease the pressure on Paul Ince - they need to keep a clean sheet today.
1mins
The game is underway.
0mins
We're awaiting kick-off at Ewood Park, as a team with just one home win all season take on a team with just one away defeat.
Match Preview
Beleaguered Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince faces one his former clubs, Liverpool, at Ewood Park this weekend.
The Rovers boss, who cut his managerial teeth at Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before joining Blackburn in the summer, spent two seasons as a player at Anfield in the late 1990s.
Ince failed to win any trophies during his spell on Merseyside before heading to Middlesbrough, but silverware is the last thing on his mind at the moment as he fends off questions about his managerial future.
Last weekend's 3-2 defeat at Portsmouth left Rovers entrenched in the relegation zone and Ince's side have failed to taste success in any of their last nine league games since winning at Newcastle United more than two months ago.
They have lost their last four league matches and, with Roque Santa Cruz being linked with a transfer to Manchester City next month, the future looks far from rosy.
No player has scored more than two league goals this season, but Ince is refusing to get downcast, saying this week: "It's easy for me to be a target, but I've got thick skin.
"I don't really care what other people say about me or what people write about me. All I care about are my players. They're the most important people to me.
"It's important I come in every day smiling and making sure they're happy and then they're prepared to hopefully get three points on Saturday."
Injured trio Steven Reid (knee), Vince Grella (hamstring) and David Dunn (calf) will not feature against the league leaders who were booed off the pitch on Monday following their goalless draw with West Ham United.
Rafa Benitez has guided his side to ten victories in their opening 15 games of the season to revive hopes that the Reds' could clinch their 19th title and first in 19 years in May.
Liverpool have kept four successive clean sheets in the league but goals are proving to be a problem without hamstring injury victim Fernando Torres, with the West Ham stalemate coming on the back of another 0-0 Anfield draw against Fulham.
As well as Torres, Fabio Aurelio (calf), Philipp Degen (metatarsal) and Martin Skrtel (knee) will be missing on Saturday.
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Match Report
Premier League leaders Liverpool heaped the pressure on Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Ince with a 3-1 win at Ewood Park.
Both keepers had made fine saves at the same end of the ground, before Xabi Alonso stroked home the opener midway through the second half.
Yossi Benayoun added a skilful second ten minutes later, before Roque Santa Cruz rediscovered his goalscoring touch to give the home fans some hope.
But Steven Gerrard sealed the win with the last kick of the game to extended Rovers' winless run in the league to ten games.
Before the game, both managers made three changes to the sides from their last outings, with Santa Cruz and Brett Emerton passed fit for the hosts, while Robbie Keane and Albert Riera were both relegated to the visitors' bench.
And the game's first two chances fell to players returning to their starting line-ups.
On 19 minutes, Dirk Kuyt played in Benayoun, but former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock recovered just in time to make a goal-saving tackle.
And ten minutes later, Gerrard, who was guilty of giving possession away on numerous occasions in the first half, passed the ball straight to Morten Gamst Pedersen, who let fly from fully 25 yards, only for Pepe Reina to terrifically tip the ball onto the bar.
Pedersen fancied his chances from even further out a little later, firing in a 30-yard free-kick, which Reina had to palm around the post.
The final chance of the half dropped to Gerrard, who lashed a left-foot shot well wide of the target.
The visitors provided more of an attacking threat in the second half, with Paul Robinson twice coming to Rovers' rescue.
On 57 minutes, Emiliano Insua's cross fell kindly for Alonso, whose crisp strike was well kept out by the England international.
And five minutes later, Gerrard's effort was superbly saved by the Robinson and Benayoun just couldn't force home the follow-up.
But with little over 20 minutes remaining, the league leaders eventually made the breakthrough. Gerrard picked out Kuyt, whose shot was blocked by a couple of Rovers bodies, but Alonso was on hand to stroke home the rebound.
Rovers had an excellent chance to equalise when Andre Ooijer picked out Santa Cruz in the centre, but the Paraguayan striker sent his free header well wide.
And the home side were made to pay for the miss, as Liverpool extended their lead with their next attack. Kuyt played a superb volleyed pass out wide to Benayoun, who skipped past Warnock before drilling the ball under Robinson.
Rovers did get a goal, which their steely endeavour deserved, but it proved too little too late. A corner from the right was swung in by Keith Andrews, Ooijer flicked on and Santa Cruz headed home at the far post.
There was still time for Liverpool to add a third, when Robinson came rushing out of his goal to deny substitute Nabil El Zhar. Alonso squared the loose ball to Gerrard and the skipper slotted the ball into the empty net.
Blackburn Rovers Team
Liverpool Team
Blackburn Rovers | Liverpool |
Corners
| 5 | 6 |
Fouls
| 11 | 9 |
Goal attempts
| 8 | 10 |
Shots off target
| 4 | 4 |
Offsides
| 2 | 2 |
90mins
The Liverpool fans are already celebrating a win.