Rovers and out

14 April 2012
Blackburn 1 Liverpool 0

Liverpool's dream of mounting a late title challenge looked faintly embarrassing as Boxing Day at bleak Ewood Park underlined Rafa Benitez's rotation dilemma.

England striker Peter Crouch came back for his first start in three months to miss three clear headers' — manager Benitez's words — before being replaced in a huff as Liverpool spiralled to a shock defeat.

It was Blackburn's first Premiership win over Liverpool in 10 years, with veteran American Brad Friedel, the goalkeeper told he was not up to Anfield's high standards, the rock on which his old side foundered.

Benni McCarthy's 10th goal of the campaign was not merely the first Premiership goal conceded by Liverpool in 11 1/2 hours but it also knocked Benitez's side down to sixth place.

Liverpool dominated the first half, but Benitez admitted: "We couldn't score, then we made a mistake and conceded a goal. You have to be disappointed."

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes, whose side bounced back from a 6-2 defeat at Arsenal, said: "This is a huge and important win, and we showed great qualities with everybody performing well."

Rovers were lively enough early on, and Robbie Savage and Morten Gamst Pedersen's vicious dipper gave Reina problems, but the force was with reshuffled Liverpool, and they began to pour forward at will.

Bellamy, inevitably, was the focal point of the red onslaught that would have seen Liverpool establish a decent half-time lead but for the resilience of 35-year-old Friedel.

The Wales striker was convinced he should have had a penalty as early as the 16th minute when he appeared to be pulled back by Savage while trying to reach a Mark Gonzalez corner at the near post.

Benitez said: "It could have been, I haven't seen a replay. But the question is to analyse why we couldn't score from our chances, or create more of them in the second half."

Crouch, restored to the side as Bellamy's partner at the expense of Dirk Kuyt, missed an early chance to impress Benitez by directing a weak header straight to Friedel's arms from Steve Finnan's centre.

But it was Bellamy's pace that made him such a threat to his former team-mates, and Andy Todd was stranded by his speed on one occasion only for Lucas Neill to shepherd the cross to safety.

John Arne Riise had wasted one speculative shot but his 33rdminute header across the six-yard box fell perfectly for Bellamy to nip ahead of Blackburn's defence only to knock his shot inches wide.

Friedel — who had scolded teammates during Arsenal's late flurry — lost his cool again after being forced to make a fine near-post save from Crouch as Liverpool attacked his goal seemingly at will.

Todd's desperate block prevented Gonzalez from turning a drama into a crisis, then Bellamy and Crouch both had piledrivers charged down before Friedel reacted well to Crouch's last-ditch bid.

But it was clear from Friedel's animated exchange with his defenders, and Hughes' grim expression on the sidelines, that the Rovers dressingroom would echo to a few choice words during the interval.

McCarthy's goal, four minutes into the second half, changed everything, not least Blackburn's self-belief. Inevitably, veteran Tugay had been the architect, with a deftly delivered pass, light of touch but so sure of weight, that allowed Pedersen to deliver a cross that ached to be converted.

McCarthy, although not always at his predatory best in the Premiership, rarely passes up such an opportunity and his crisp volley from close range gave Reina no chance.

That was the signal for Blackburn chests to be puffed out and Benitez to get to work on reshaping a game plan that was suddenly under grave threat of going pear-shaped.

Hughes said: "We didn't get to grips in the first half. They suck you in, set traps for you then hit you on the counter-attack. We played a few more long balls in the second half."

Benitez sent on Kuyt for Crouch after 56 minutes, a decision that did not go down well with the England striker, and he hurled a training top high into the air as he took his seat behind the bench.

Benitez said: "Three clear headers missed in front of goal isn't lack of confidence. Maybe it's bad luck or their goalkeeper. In a top team you will not always be in the side. He must learn to manage that."

Bellamy's influence on the game was waning, and when he hit the bar — and collected a kick in the head from Andre Ooijer for his troubles — the whistle had already gone for handball against Gerrard.

Tempers frayed as it dawned on Liverpool that the machine was seizing up — Bellamy was booked for dissent and Alonso was cautioned for a reckless sliding challenge on McCarthy that sparked a mini-fracas.

Benitez's men were getting more and more anxious, and Alonso turned and fired a surprise shot that pinged against the outside of the post. But when they were on target, there was always Friedel to beat.

Carrying a dead leg from a Kuyt challenge, he defied Luis Garcia at the near post but saved the best for last — a magnificent one-handed flying save that brought sustained applause for the grand old trooper.

Hughes said: "Brad made some great, crucial saves, he was an inspiration to everybody in front of him though I'm sure he'll agree there were a few other big performances."

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