Fernando Torres marked his first start since January 13 by scoring
the winner in Liverpool's ill-tempered 2-1 win over Blackburn at
Anfield.
The Spain international hit his 13th goal in 17 Premier
League appearances just before half-time, having missed five weeks
at the start of the year after a knee operation.
Liverpool had gone ahead midway through the half through
Steven Gerrard only for Jamie Carragher's handball to allow Keith
Andrews to equalise from the penalty spot five minutes before the
interval.
With fellow top-four challengers Tottenham and Manchester
City both winning this weekend, it was imperative Rafael Benitez's
side maintain the pressure - and they ground out a win against
combative opponents.
Before the match Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce, who has
never had a great relationship with Benitez, had said the
Spaniard's side played like his former club Bolton.
However, on this evidence - five Rovers players were booked
and they could easily have had Steven Nzonzi and Pascal Chimbonda
sent off - it was Rovers who lived up to Allardyce's reputation.
But it was the goalscoring return of Torres that will have
put a smile on Benitez's face as Liverpool scored for the 26th
successive league game at Anfield and the 33rd in all competitions.
Surprisingly, the Spain international played no part in the
opening goal, which came from a swift and incisive move started by
Lucas on the halfway line.
The Brazilian picked out Gerrard who, after exchanging passes
with Dirk Kuyt and offloading to Yossi Benayoun, continued his run
into the penalty area to collect the return ball, go past Samba and
clip home a left-footed shot.
That was after Chris Samba, Martin Olsson and Morten Gamst
Pedersen had all had half-chances to put Blackburn ahead.
Liverpool, though, were indebted to Jose Reina in the 17th
minute as the goalkeeper made a good double save from Pedersen,
particularly the first shot which deflected off Jamie Carragher.
On the half-hour Kuyt should have made it 2-0 from Gerrard's
corner but appeared to be surprised by the pace of the ball and
headed wide from three yards.
In the 38th minute Liverpool were forced into a change when
Fabio Aurelio limped off with what looked like a thigh injury and
was replaced by Emiliano Insua.
Two minutes later Rovers were gifted an equaliser when
Benayoun's weak clearance was played straight back into the penalty
area and, despite three Liverpool players surrounding Kalinic,
Carragher catastrophically went to ground where the ball hit his
hand.
Andrews fired home from the spot to put his side firmly back
in the game.
However, Liverpool went ahead again a minute before the break
when Samba could only poke the ball off Torres into the path of
Rodriguez, who crossed into the six-yard area for the Spaniard to
smash home.
Early in the second half Olsson was booked for handball in
the centre-circle before Nzonzi was lucky to escape with a caution,
having flattened Lucas with an aggressive push to his face.
Pascal Chimbonda's first act, having come on for Olsson, was
to bring down Rodriguez as he threatened to cut into the penalty
area.
Daniel Agger headed Gerrard's whipped-in free-kick over at
the far post.
Chimbonda's second contribution was to carelessly give the
ball away to Kuyt, which eventually resulted in Robinson having to
tip Rodriguez's shot around the post.
Kalinic was next to go into referee Alan Wiley's book for
hacking down Mascherano from behind and, after several close calls,
former Liverpool forward El-Hadji Diouf was eventually booked for
bringing down Mascherano.
Referee Wiley and one of his linesmen somehow missed
Chimbonda, who had already been booked, thrusting his boot into
Rodriguez's chest as the Rovers defender rolled on the floor.
Ryan Babel replaced Benayoun for the final 10 minutes but
with only a slender lead the pressure began to mount on the hosts.
Torres departed to a standing ovation with his work done but
in the knowledge he will have to continue to produce on a regular
basis if his club are to secure Champions League football next
season.
