Incisive Liverpool Finishing Undoes Blackburn Rovers

It was a domineering performance in the first half, which was overshadowed somewhat by referee Alan Wiley, who had laid his stall out early in the game, by waving away a number of penalty appeals claimed by Gerrard.

But it mattered little, with Steven Gerrard breaking the deadlock on the hour mark as he played a clever one-two with Lucas before squeezing through the Rovers defence to finish coolly.

Frustrated Blackburn manager Mark Hughes brought on Benni McCarthy in an attempt to boost his side's attacking prowess, but Torres' fine header took his tally to 30 goals with substitute Andriy Voronin injuring himself while tapping home the third without answer, while Santa Cruz volleyed home an injury-time consolation to restore some pride for the visitors.

First Chance
The first chance came after nine minutes when Gerrard, playing his 300th league game for the club, watched as a whipped in cross was flicked narrowly wide by on form hitman Torres.

A fine challenge by ex-Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock then stopped Torres in full flow.

Soon after, Gerrard went down, the first of three times, but too easily in the eyes of ref Wiley, as Rovers goalkeeper Brad Friedel came out to meet him on the left of the box, and Wiley waved away appeals for a penalty.

Wiley then ignored far more obvious claims for a free-kick when Samba bundled Gerrard over on the edge of the box and the die was cast for the afternoon.

And when Torres and Dirk Kuyt combined to set-up Gerrard for a 20-yard shot that looked to be deflected wide the official gave a goal-kick, much to the growing anger of the home crowd.

Kuyt had a 25-yard screamer saved by Friedel before the Dutch forward headed just wide from a floated Gerrard free-kick.

Warnock received a tremendous reception from the Kop at the start of the second half, the young full-back having played 67 games for Liverpool before moving to Blackburn 15 months ago.

Breakthrough Moment
Morten Gamst Pedersen saw two free-kicks saved by Liverpool stopper Reina before Lucas, at the other end, fired wide.

Right on the hour, Benitez introduced Yossi Benayoun in place of Babel and his energy and guile were instrumental in the early build-up to a fine Gerrard goal on the hour.

Benayoun won possession and fed Lucas, the Brazilian exchanging passes with Gerrard before the Liverpool skipper cut into the box and side-footed the ball past Friedel.

Roberts appealed for a penalty in the 71st minute after a clash with Martin Skrtel, with the replays suggesting he was in fact, more sinner than sinned against.

But when the same pair clashed again a minute later, Skrtel was booked.

Rovers, who sent on McCarthy for Pedersen a minute later, were far from out of it and Capello golden boy David Bentley sent a 25-yard free-kick just wide before Liverpool went further ahead after 82 minutes.

Lucas won possession and fed Gerrard on the right. When his cross curled deep into the box, Torres was there unmarked to head past Friedel.

Gerrard was yet denied another penalty by the man in the middle as he fell under a Samba challenge, before Torres was spared any further involvement, allowing Voronin a late run-out.

And in the final minute Voronin slid home the third from substitute John Arne Riise's low cross, seemingly injuring himself as he did so.

In injury time Santa Cruz volleyed home on the turn after a poor header from Skrtel, but by then the points were in the bag as elsewhere, Arsenal all but ended their quest for the Premiership by losing out to a rampant Man U.