Liverpool beat Blackburn to stay on top

Liverpool held on to the top spot on the Premier League table on Saturday despite the other three teams in the top four winning their respective matches.

The Reds achieved the most comprehensive victory of the weekend, handing out a 3-1 hiding to Blackburn Rovers. The Liverpool performance was a significant improvement after struggling to hold West Ham to a draw earlier in the week.

All four of the game’s goals were scored in the final 22 minutes of the match, with Xabi Alonson opening Liverpool’s account off a deft pass from Steven Gerrard. Yossi Benayoun scored Liverpool’s next goal before Blackburn pulled a goal back through Roque Santa Cruz.

Steven Gerrard was responsible for his club’s final goal, scoring in injury time to bring the Liverpool goal tally to 3.

“Clearly it was an important three points for us,” Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said after the match. “We are in a very good position and we want to stay there.”

Benitez also backed his team to stay at the top of the Premiership, saying: “We have to play with confidence because we’re in a very good position.”

“If we can move and pass the ball like we did against Blackburn and be more clinical in front of goal, that will be really important through Christmas time.”