Torres keeps Reds in hunt for fourth

From the moment Sam Allardyce claimed that his Blackburn Rovers team could beat Liverpool on any given day there was a certain inevitability that yesterday would not be that day.

There are few hostages to fortune quite as bombastically willing as the Blackburn manager.

A winning goal from Fernando Torres gave a nervy Liverpool the three points they urgently needed to remain in the hunt for that all-important fourth-place finish. It also ensured that Allardyce has not celebrated victory over the Anfield club since September 2006 when Bolton Wanderers, not Blackburn, were his employers. Any given day? Not any in the past 3½ years, obviously.

"Some people have to talk before and after the game because it's more difficult for them to do a football job," was Rafael Benitez's withering post-match put-down of his long-time adversary. John Terry and Wayne Bridge may be unable to exchange a handshake but the pair have some way to go before their mutual antipathy reaches the standards of consistency set by Allardyce and Benitez in recent years.

"It doesn't matter what he said - we won," Benitez said, warming to the theme. "We prefer to play football. If they play the way they play under this manager, it is difficult to play football but it is their decision. I am sure he is a model for kids all around the world - I am sure Barcelona is thinking about copying their style of football. I want football to be an example for parents and kids, not this."

Unedifying it may be, but the constant backbiting between the managers never ceases to entertain. "I only do it because Liverpool have a go at me," Allardyce said. "I'm entitled to respond when he criticises me. If you don't understand that, then you are deluded. Many, many other times, I've been criticised personally by the manager, so I have a right to say that."

As well as the latest outbreak of hostilities, there was also a football match at Anfield and it was one that no one from Barcelona - or pretty much anyone else for that matter - would use as a template of how the beautiful game should be played. Scrappy and niggly for the most part, the only action of any real note took place before the interval when Steven Gerrard's well-taken opening goal was cancelled out by a penalty by Keith Andrews that was awarded for a clear handling offence by Jamie Carragher.

The fit-again Torres settled matters with an opportunistic strike, leaving Allardyce to bemoan that he is unable to call upon a forward of similar ruthlessness.

Morten Gamst Pedersen, on two occasions, and Christopher Samba were denied by Pepe Reina and in the closing stages Liverpool, with victory in sight, certainly displayed the kind of nerves that a cold-blooded finisher might well have exploited. "We would have won with a goalscorer, " Allardyce said.

Allardyce could not resist returning to his theme about Liverpool becoming an increasingly physical team under Benitez. The bookings count at Anfield suggested otherwise, Blackburn receiving five to Liverpool's one. Steven N'Zonzi and Pascal Chimbonda were fortunate not to receive red cards for a pair of petty, off-the-ball challenges on Lucas Leiva and Maxi Rodriguez respectively.

Add in a minor tunnel bust-up at half-time and El-Hadji Diouf being given his usual ticking-off by a Merseyside Police officer and it is fair to say that yesterday's events at Anfield were pretty memorable - just not for the football.

Liverpool (4-4-1-1): J M Reina 7 J Mascherano 6 J Carragher 6 D Agger 6 F Aurelio 5 M Rodríguez 6 Lucas Leiva 6 S Gerrard 7 Y Benayoun 6 D Kuyt 7 F Torres 6 Substitute: E Insua 6 (for Aurelio, 39), R Babel (for Benayoun, 81), D Ngog (for Torres, 90). Not used: D Cavalieri, A Aquilani, M Kelly, D Ayala. Next: Wigan Athletic (a).

Blackburn Rovers (4-2-3-1): P Robinson 5 M Salgado 5 C Samba 6 G Givet 6 M Olsson 5 S N'Zonzi 5 K Andrews6 E-H Diouf 6 M G Pedersen 6 D Hoilett 6 N Kalinic 6 Substitutes: P Chimbonda 5 (for Olsson 51), V Grella 6 (for N'Zonzi, 60), J Roberts 6 (for Hoilett, 64) Not used: J Brown, B Emerton, D Dunn, F Di Santo. Next: Tottenham Hotspur (a).

Referee: A Wiley.

Attendance: 42,795.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the views or position of Liverpool Football Club.