Liverpool may have started and ended this Premier League clash trapped in the relegation zone in 18th place but this was a hugely important win.
The reds were in danger of continuing their disappointing run to their worst league start for 110 years but goals from Kyrgiakos and Torres, either side of an own goal ensured that the reds took all three points.
Liverpool, without a victory in 7 competitive games before today, started brightly on a cold but bright day at Anfield. They responded well to the physical nature of Blackburn’s football and were in the ascendancy for the majority of the first half.
Paul Robinson, single handedly (althoughly occasionally with both hands) kept Blackburn level in the first half as the reds produced a number of decent attacking moves, peppering the opponents goal with a number of chances.
Rodriguez and Meireles were amongst the pick of the bunch in the first half – taking advantage of the atmosphere generated in part by Gerry Marsden’s appearance on the pitch before the game to lead the ritual of the fans singing YNWA.
Early in the second half the reds made a deserved breakthrough. Gerrard finally appears to have turned his hand at inswinging corners and Kyrgiakos rose a few feet higher than anyone else to head at goal. A weak deflection off Olsson helped send the ball goalwards.
Within minutes, Blackburn had equalised, continuing to expose the reds lack of pace at the back. Their quick counter saw Hadji Diouf fire goalbound. Konchesky’s clearance to no avail as the ball found Carragher’s chest and headed in to the back of the net.
Within another three minutes the reds restored their lead. Joe Cole whipping in a decent cross, Torres finding himself a yard or two of space and placing the ball in to the Kop goal.
The reds continued to perform until around the 70th minute, when nerves started jangling in the crowd, which begin to creep in to the play on the field.
Unusual at Anfield, but these are relatively desperate days, Liverpool attempted to play out the final minutes – almost finding themselves in trouble when a poor backpass headed towards Reina.
Ultimately we held on, and Hodgson gets his 2nd league victory in 9 attempts.
Roy Hodgson suggested he wouldn’t look at the league table until the 10th game. Irrespective of next week’s result at Bolton – it clearly won’t make pleasant viewing just yet.