Rovers pile pressure on Hodgson

Blackburn inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Liverpool at Ewood Park on Wednesday night to leave Roy Hodgson facing fresh doubts over his future.

Last Updated: 05/01/11 at 22:18 Post Comment

Benjani: Sidefoots home Blackburn's third

Benjani: Sidefoots home Blackburn's third

Hodgson has survived many low points in his short spell on Merseyside but defeat at Blackburn would seem to be one disaster too far and could hasten his exit from the club.

Even before Saturday's injury-time winner against Bolton the suggestion was that New England Sports Ventures were actively looking for a replacement.

On this performance they will probably have to speed up that search as two goals from Benjani Mwaruwari, who had not started since November 6 and scored once in 12 previous appearances, and one from Martin Olsson condemned the Reds to a ninth Premier League defeat of the season, despite Steven Gerrard's late consolation.

The now almost-obligatory chants for club legend Kenny Dalglish surfaced in the second half and at one point it seemed all four sides of Ewood Park were singing "You're getting sacked in the morning" to Hodgson.

Liverpool had lost just one of their previous 24 league meetings against Blackburn but even that was not enough encouragement for the travelling fans.

They voted with their feet, as they had done against Bolton on Saturday when Anfield was about 8,000 below capacity, and for the first time failed to fill the Darwen End at Ewood Park.

Pity the poor souls who made the short journey east as they had to endure a result more demoralising than the 1-0 defeat at home to Wolves last week.

Despite coming up against one of the most lightweight midfields in the Premier League - Olsson, David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Junior Hoilett - Liverpool failed to impose themselves on the game.

Fernando Torres, who was on the end of some tough tackling but nothing over the top, flashed an early header wide but spent most of the game complaining to referee Andre Marriner.

Rovers looked far more threatening and after Dunn had volleyed over from the edge of the penalty area and Mame Biram Diouf had bundled an eight-yard shot straight at Jose Reina they found their shooting boots.

Defender Ryan Nelsen was given plenty of time in the centre circle to play the ball out to Diouf on the left and when he knocked it on Olsson raced past the static Glen Johnson to fire past Reina in the 32nd minute.

Five minutes later it was Sotirios Kyrgiakos' turn to be slow to react as Benjani controlled Pedersen's cross on his chest and turned to lash a ferocious volley past Reina.

By contrast the most work Rovers' inexperienced goalkeeper Mark Bunn, deputising for the injured Paul Robinson, had to do was fingertip Joe Cole's angled shot wide of the far post.

The Liverpool manager's misery was complete when in the 57th minute Hoilett went around Martin Skrtel and Johnson as if they were not there and from the byline crossed for Benjani to sidefoot home his second of the night.

In almost an exact replay of Benjani's second goal Diouf ran into the left of the area and crossed into the six-yard box but Hoilett could not get his outstretched foot on the ball.

Gerrard, on his 550th Liverpool appearance, fired in an 80th-minute consolation when Torres' shot was blocked but that barely raised a cheer from the travelling support.

When the captain ballooned over a penalty five minutes later, after being fouled by Salgado, any hopes of an Istanbul-style fightback were dashed.

But even an occurrence such as that would have done nothing to mask the malaise the club are currently in.

Hodgson, as both Fulham and Liverpool manager, has now won just two away league games since the start of the 2009/10 season.

That has contributed significantly to his problems but a failure to win over fans and impose a suitably offensive style of play have also been a factor.

This result and the embarrassing sound of Rovers fans singing "Can we play you every week" and "Are you Burnley in disguise" will not have gone unnoticed in the Boston headquarters of NESV.

The next move is surely theirs and it is one Hodgson will be dreading.

Football365 Facebook Fan Page

The Football365 fan page is a great place to meet like minded people, have football related discussions and make new friends.

Sky Bet

    • Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds

More Match Results

Sunday, 19 May 2013
16:00
Chelsea 2-1 Everton Report
Liverpool 1-0 QPR Report
Man City 2-3 Norwich Report
Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal Report
Southampton 1-1 Stoke City Report
Swansea 0-3 Fulham Report
Tottenham 1-0 Sunderland Report
West Brom 5-5 Man Utd Report
West Ham 4-2 Reading Report
Wigan 2-2 A Villa Report

Barclays Premier League

Position Team P GD PTS
1 Man Utd 38 43 89
2 Man City 38 32 78
3 Chelsea 38 36 75
4 Arsenal 38 35 73
5 Tottenham 38 20 72
6 Everton 38 15 63
7 Liverpool 38 28 61
8 West Brom 38 -4 49
9 Swansea 38 -4 46
10 West Ham 38 -8 46
11 Norwich 38 -17 44
12 Fulham 38 -10 43
13 Stoke City 38 -11 42
14 Southampton 38 -11 41
15 A Villa 38 -22 41
16 Newcastle 38 -23 41
17 Sunderland 38 -13 39
18 Wigan 38 -26 36
19 Reading 38 -30 28
20 QPR 38 -30 25

Updated Sun, 19 May 2013

Footer 365

Internationals: Andy Carroll withdraws from England squad with injury

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has withdrawn from the England squad to play the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

Premier League: Manchester City launch Nike kit in deal worth £72m

Manchester City have officially launched their new £72million kit deal with American sportswear giant Nike.

Pulis' Stoke exit confirmed

Stoke have confirmed the end of Tony Pulis' seven-year reign as manager, announcing that the parting of ways has been "mutually agreed".

Mail Box

Mourinho Isn't Short-Term, Football Is

There's more in the afternoon Mailbox about Jose Mourinho and his potential return to Chelsea, while there's also a link to some pictures of eagles that look like Arsene Wenger...

Should Chelsea Be Worried About Jose Return?

After a disappointing end to his three years at Real Madrid, could Jose Mourinho struggle to bring immediate success if he completes his anticipated return to Chelsea?

© 2013 British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. All Rights Reserved