Christmas gift from Adam gives Kean seasonal succour

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Steve Kean, the beleaguered Blackburn Rovers manager, gained a measure of respite from the bile-soaked maulings of recent days as his charges left Anfield with a point they barely deserved.

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STEVE NAILOR AT ANFIELD

Even the return of captain Steven Gerrard after a two-month absence failed to lift Liverpool out of their current Anfield malaise against the Barclays Premier League's bottom club, who fielded five players who featured in last season's reserves cup final.

Kean, whose stock at Blackburn hit a new low after last Tuesday's derby defeat to Bolton Wanderers, was upbeat at the end as a cocktail of dogged defending, goalkeeping excellence and luck paid off for his side.Kenny Dalglish's team, although unbeaten at home this season, have now drawn six and won three and been held five times in the last six outings at Anfield.Had it not been for Maxi Rodriguez's 11th goal in his last 12 starts the result could have been more embarrassing, after Charlie Adam put through his own net on the stroke of half-time.In recent months opposition goalkeepers have made a habit of saving their best performances for Anfield and Mark Bunn's point-blank block from Andy Carroll, starting for the first time in four matches, had a familiar look to it.Carroll had a goal ruled out on the half-hour as Luis Suarez was offside and the assistant's flag rescued Bunn from conceding a penalty when he brought down Rodriguez, although it was Suarez and not the Argentinian who had got ahead of Blackburn's defence.Blackburn's attacking was sporadic at best and in the end they needed a helping hand as, Adam diverted Morten Gamst Pedersen's inswinging corner past his own goalkeeper just seconds before half-time.It took Liverpool eight minutes to equalise, Stewart Downing's cross being cleared only as far as Martin Skrtel, who hooked the ball back to the far post where Rodriguez headed in from close range.The goal gave Liverpool the spark they needed and, with Bunn wasting time at every opportunity, Suarez headed wide Downing's corner.A Carroll overhead kick was cleared by Grant Hanley while another Rodriguez far-post header, this time back across the six-yard area, was crying out for a final touch with no Liverpool player anywhere near.Gerrard finally got his long-awaited return to action in the 69th minute when he replaced Adam and ran straight on to curl in a free-kick which was headed over by Rodriguez.Suarez then headed over Glen Johnson's cross before the England defender was relieved to see David Dunn stab wide after giving away possession in midfield.Liverpool twice thought they had stolen the points in the closing moments, Carroll drawing a fine save from Bunn with a close-range volley and 17-year-old Adam Henley, on his first senior start, clearing off the line after Daniel Agger's header from the subsequent corner."We did more than enough to win," said Dalglish. "The performance could have been a touch better but I have no complaints."A relieved Kean, meanwhile, was delighted with the result. "I enjoyed it," he said. "We have a very young side because of all the injuries we have. Full credit to the lads, we dug in and managed to get something from the game."Blackburn's players celebrated a hard-earned point but their difficulties – they remain bottom of the table – will probably take more fixing.Scorers. Liverpool – Maxi (53); Blackburn – Adam (45og)

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Christmas gift from Adam gives Kean seasonal succour

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