BLACKBURN Rovers were beaten by a Fernando Torres goal at Liverpool this afternoon after a whirlwind start to the second half.
Jamie Carragher’s own goal cancelled out Sotirios Kyrgiakos’ header just after the interval but Torres scored what proved to be the winner in the 53rd minute.
Paul Robinson had to make a fine save to deny Joe Cole early on, with Raul Meireles firing the rebound wide, and minutes later the Rovers keeper kept out a header from Kyrgiakos.
Liverpool were firmly on the front foot and Steven Gerrard exchanged passes with Meireles before forcing another save out of Robinson, with Rovers also losing Steven Nzonzi to injury before the interval.
But the hosts were ahead just two minutes into the second half as Kyrgiakos met Gerrard’s corner to head home from eight yards, with Martin Olsson unable to get enough contact on the ball on the line to turn it over the bar.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos
Rovers could have been 2-0 down as Robinson saved once more and Liverpool felt Gael Givet pushed Kyrgiakos as the Greek attempted to head home the rebound.
But an equaliser came against the run of play in the 51st minute as half-time substitute Benjani got to the byline on the right and pulled the ball back for El-Hadji Diouf, whose goalbound shot was cleared off the line by Martin Skrtel but ricocheted back into the net off defender Carragher.
Liverpool restored their lead only two minutes later, however, as Cole crossed from the left and Torres arrived unmarked at the far post to convert.
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A FRUSTRATED Sam Allardyce admitted ‘we desperately missed our defensive linchpins’ after watching his depleted Rovers side lose 2-1 at Anfield.
The Rovers boss was the first admit his side were simply not good enough in all areas yesterday but pointed to the absence of his first choice centre back pairing as their major downfall.
Skipper Chris Samba was serving a one-match suspension while club captain Ryan Nelsen failed a late fitness test on a thigh strain.
And, despite holding Liverpool to a goalless draw at the break, two home goals in the first eight second-half minutes – sandwiching Jamie Carragher’s own goal equaliser – proved Rovers undoing.
Allardyce said: “We missed our regular central defenders and in the end we couldn’t hold them any longer.
“We did a sterling job trying to hang on in there in the first half, particularly Paul Robinson.
“But we were unable to cope aerially with Liverpool because of the lack of our bigger players, who are dominant in the air in those areas in both boxes.
“Finally we cracked in the end because we didn’t have a Chris Samba or a Ryan Nelsen and Steven Nzonzi had gone off.
“That left us short in that particular area. We had an opportunity to do better when we scored and put ourselves back in the game and we could have frustrated them again.”
After dominating the first half, Liverpool finally got their deserved opener on 48 minutes when Sotirios Kyrgiakos took advantage of his aerial superiority to head home Steven Gerrard’s corner.
Rovers hit back almost instantly with Carragher turning in El-Hadji Diouf’s shot but Liverpool were ahead again on 53 as Fernando Torres was given the freedom of Anfield to tap home the winner.
“When I see their second goal it is the reason why I say we miss those players,” said Allardyce.
“We would not have let Torres in there free, six yards out if Samba and Nelsen were out there.
“Not one of our players were anywhere near him. We have missed them and that is why we have lost. Realistically we might not have deserved anything but when you get level you expect to get that little bit better. We did the last 20 minutes but that is too late.
“Without a doubt we missed their experience. Our squad was tested to the full. When you come here you want to play your best team if you can.
“Our best team I was unable to field and that might have given is a better chance.
“The basis of our success is being a solid unit defensively and today it was far too weak to cope with Liverpool.”
Rovers’ cause was not helped by the loss of Steven Nzonzi with a hamstring injury just past the half hour mark, with Allardyce ruing a number of absentees.
Allardyce said: “I was disappointed with our lack of composure first half. We got plenty of ball to play the right ball but failed to play the right ball.
“That was a disappointment but when you have had to change so many players due to injury and suspension it was always going to be hard.
“We have no Keith Andrews, we lost Nzonzi, no Samba, Nelsen or Roberts.
“To come somewhere like this with so many players is always going to be hard.