Gerrard bolsters Liverpool bid for fourth

Apr 13, 2008, 16:58 GMT

London - Steven Gerrard struck on his 300th Premier League appearance as Liverpool beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Sunday to take control of the race for fourth place.

With Everton only drawing at Birmingham City on Saturday, Liverpool lead their city rivals by five points, and, after an eighth straight home victory, can be confident on claiming the last Champions League qualification slot.

After Gerrard's strike, Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin rounded off a comfortable with goals in the final 10 minutes.

Roque Santa Cruz's injury-time goal had no bearing on the outcome.

Manager Rafa Benitez perhaps will see vindication for his much-criticised rotation policy, with Liverpool seemingly getting stringer as the season goes on, while Everton's challenge has faded badly as injuries take their toll.

Blackburn striker Jason Roberts was unfortunate to have an early effort ruled out for an incorrect offside (although goalkeeper Jose Reina had clearly heard the whistle and stopped long before Roberts put the ball in the net), but Liverpool were utterly dominant against a lethargic Blackburn.

Gerrard might have had a first-half penalty when he seemed to be tripped by goalkeeper Brad Friedel, and Torres glanced a header just wide, but it wasn't until the hour mark that Liverpool took the lead.

The Liverpool skipper was outnumbered as he gathered a return pass from Brazilian midfielder Lucas, but wriggled through three players before sliding a calm finish under Friedel for his 21st goal of the season.

Torres headed a second to seal the points in the 82nd minute, guiding Gerrard's right-wing cross past Friedel.

It was the Spaniard's 30th of the season - the first time a Liverpool player has reached that tally since Robbie Fowler seven years ago.

It was also the first time any Liverpool player has ever scored in seven successive top-flight matches games at Anfield.

A third goal arrived with two minutes remaining, John Arne Riise driving the ball across for box to Voronin to poke his first goal since October.

Santa Cruz lashed in a volley for his fourth in five games in the third minute of injury-time, but that was little consolation.

With the 19th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster falling on Tuesday, Liverpool players wore black armbands in memory of the 96 fans who died there.