X Factor 2010: Simon Cowell gets his revenge on 'bitchy' Louis Walsh... by axing his act John Adeleye

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By CHRIS JOHNSON

And he's off: John Adeley was given the boot from X Factor tonight after coming in the bottom two with Treyc Cohen


Louis Walsh claims not to be scared of Simon Cowell - but maybe he should be.
Tonight the X Factor supremo wreaked his revenge on the Irish judge - who had dared to criticise his mentoring skills the night before - by axing his act, John Adeley.

In a tense sing-off, the 29-year-old care worker went head to head with Treyc Cohen after the pair came in the bottom two.


Revenge: Simon Cowell had the deciding vote and kicked off Louis's act after the Irish judge dared to criticise his mentoring skills last night


But all the judges bar Louis voted to save Treyc - mentored by Cheryl Cole.
And Cowell had the deciding vote, declaring: Judging on the sing off, I'm going to send John home.'

The night before on the live show, Louis laid into Cowell for not giving girl group Belle Amie enough guidance.

The group, who were favourite to go tonight, escaped the public vote this week, but received a lukewarm reception to their rendition of Stand By You, which they had picked themselves.


Moment of truth: Dermot O'leary tells the contestants to prepare for the sing-off


In competition: Treyc, who is mentored by Cheryl, sang a Dreamgirls track while John crooned to a Kelly Clarkson number


Louis placed the blame squarely on Cowell, saying he was putting all his energy into his other remaining act, One Direction.

Simon responded by asking Walsh why he always had to be 'bitchy, mean and spiteful'.
But clearly thinking revenge is a dish best served cold, he waited until tonight to make his ultimate comeback - and John was the scapegoat.


Good news: Girl band Belle Amie managed to escape the public vote and were delighted after getting through


Winner: Simon punches the air after learning they are through. Last night Louis said he wasn't giving the girls enough direction


Earlier, John performed the Kelly Clarkson hit Because Of You on the results show as he battled for survival against Treyc, who belted out the Dreamgirls song One Night Only.

It means Cole remains the only judge in the contest with all her acts still in tact.
Louis now only has two act remaining - Mary Byrne and Wagner, who managed to survive the public vote this week, despite being panned last night.

Dannii has three of four acts left while Cowell has two.


Sultry: Cheryl performed her new sing Promise on the results show


X Factor favourite: Michael Buble performed his new track Hollywood on the show, breaking off his holiday to make an appearance


On Saturday's show John performed the 1982 track Zoom by Fat Larry's Band.
But most of the judges said that although the vocals were good, the smooching backing dancers detracted from the performance.

Treyc, 26, meanwhile, turned rock chick as she performed the Led Zeppelin song, Whole Lotta Love.

Sunday's result show also saw Michael Buble singhis new track Hollywood - the first time he has ever performed it.


Dressed to impress: Cheryl made her entrance on the results show in a short silver and white number while, right, Dannii donned a black floral dress


Making an entrance: The judges, from left, Dannii, Louis, Cheryl and Simon


Host Dermot O'Leary revealed the 35-year-old singer broke off his holiday to make an appearance on the show.

Afterwards Cheryl Cole performed her new single Promise.
The judge stepped out from behind the panel, slipped out of her silver dress and straight into her sexy stage attire.

Battling her pre-performance nerves, the singer put on a high energy routine, clad in a glittering ivory tuxedo jacket, with black bandage strips wrapped all the way up her legs.


Celebrations: Cheryl looked delighted each time she learned each of her acts had survived the public vote


Show opener: The contestants kicked off proceedings with their weekly song


She was joined by her customary entourage of backing dancers as she belted out the track - apparently singing certain sections live, while at other times lip-syncing over a backing track.

The song is her debut release from her second solo album Messy Little Raindrops.
Speaking after the performance, she told host Dermot O'Leary: 'I really enjoyed it, it's amazing to be on this side of the stage.'

Asked what he thought of the dancing, Louis Walsh responded enthusiastically: 'Absolutely loved it!'


Buddies: Despite reports of a fued, Cher and Katie put on a friendly display


In what was the third week of the live shows, the contestants raised the bar with a series of strong performances on Saturday night.

Surprisingly, Simon backed Dannii up several times throughout the night, agreeing with her points.

Paije Richardson, 19, opened the show with a pared down rendition of the Rufus and Chaka Khan hit Ain't Nobody.

The cinema worker lifted the roof with his soulful dulcet tones, with his impressive range seeing him put in an all-conquering performance.


Brave face: The members of Belle Amie kept close together as they arrived at the studios earlier today


It was a good night for Rebecca Ferguson, with Simon telling her it was the night she turned into a star.

Wearing a Jessica Rabbit style full length red gown, complete with red wig, the 24-year-old single mother crooned to Nora Lee King's classic Why Don’t You Do Right.

Cher Lloyd, 17, who has been at the centre of an internet hate campaign this week, sang as mash up of the Blackstreet track No Diggity and Shout by Tears For Fears, more recently covered by James Corden and Dizzee Rascal.

Matt Cardle, 27, had the ladies swooning with an acoustic version of Hit Me Baby One More Time by Britney Spears.

The former painter and decorator brought the house down, receiving a huge applause afterwards.


Facing the music: Wagner Carillho and Paije Richardson had a certain spring in their step


Boyband One Direction performed Nobody Knows by Pink.
Dannii praised the performance, but questioned how the track was a 'guilty pleasure' - the theme of the evening's songs.

Mary Byrne performed I (Who Have Nothing) by Shirley Bassey.
But while the judges agreed it was a top class effort from the 50-year-old Dublin supermarket worker, Dannii and Simon called for her to sing something more current next time.

Aiden Grimshaw, 18, performed another Bassey hit, Diamonds Are Forever, which has also been covered by Arctic Monkeys.


Heads down: John Adeleye, pictured at the back, with Aiden Grimshaw, left, and Matt Cardle
Cheryl told him the performance was a bit intense, although Simon and mentor Dannii disagreed.


After coming in the bottom three last week, girlband Belle Amie were allowed to chose their own track this week, opting for I’ll Stand By You by The Pretenders, a track familiar with Cheryl as Girls Aloud have also covered the track.

Wagner Carrilho, the oldest contestant at 54, did a mash up of Spice Up Your Life by the Spice Girls and Ricky Martin's Livin' La Vida Loca, which left the judges somewhat lost for words.

Cheryl said his efforts were more guilty than a pleasure to watch, but mentor Louis defended him, saying it was all a bit of fun.

Katie Waissel, 24, closed the show with I Wanna Be Like You from The Jungle Book.
She was given high praise by all judges. Cheryl said it was a breath of fresh air, while Simon added: 'It shouldn't have worked, but it did. I loved it.'



Favourite: Rebecca Ferguson, left, arriving for rehearsals and, right, Treyc Cohen






source: dailymail
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Kylie Minogue dazzles Mexico City in tiny white feather dress

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By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Feathery: Kylie performing last night at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City


In the music industry, she is known as something of a workaholic and Kylie Minogue is certainly living up to her reputation

The singer, 42, was only in Egypt performing in the spectacular setting of the Giza pyramids earlier this week but last night she was busy rocking Mexico City.

Kylie arrived in Mexico on Friday night ahead of her glitzy concert in the capital at Palacio de los Deportes.

And despite her frenetic schedule, she looked full of energy as she strutted her stuff at the venue.

Dressed in a tiny white dress with crochet detail around the ribcage and finished with a feather-style mini skirt, she looked far from her age of 42.

The Australian star positively beamed as she was held aloft on a white chair by some strapping dancers.

On her feet, she had some towering gold ankle boots decorated with jagged baubles which must have been crippling to dance in.


Riding high: Dancers hold up Kyle on a chair during the concert


Workaholic: Kylie sang in Egypt earlier this week and flew in from London


Kylie is busy promoting her latest album Aphrodite and was earlier at its Mexico launch at the Four Seasons Hotel.

She looked more demure in a babydoll black dress with a puffy skirt but the dress still had an element of the risque thanks to a sheer panel showing her cleavage.
The singer will perform again today, this time on Mexican television.

Aphrodite recently gave her her fifth career Number One in the U.S. Billboard Club Chart.


Babydoll: Kylie promoting her album Aphrodite at the Four Seasons Hotel


Get Outta My Way, her second single from the album after All The Lovers, hit the top last week.

It follows U.S. chart-toppers Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Love At First Sight and Slow.

New pictures of her trip to the Giza pyramids in Egypt were released today by the country's Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

They show the singer, looking relaxed in sandals and a full-length white dress being told about the historic site by top archaeologist Zahi Hawass


Off duty: Kylie with archaeologist Zahi Hawass at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt


Kylie relaxes as she is told about the historic site



source :dailymail [endtext]

X Factor 2010: Cheryl Cole sets pulses racing with sexy performance... but can she Promise that she didn't mime?

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By PAUL REVOIR

The main event: Cheryl Cole performed her new single Promise on tonight's X Factor, wearing a sexy combo of an ivory jacket with black bandage strips wrapped all the way up her legs


Weeks spent dishing out frank assessments of performers’ live singing ability mean Cheryl Cole’s own voice has a lot to live up to.

Last night she ruled out the possibility of anyone finding fault by miming parts of her X Factor performance.

After initially denying that she had mimed any of the song, show insiders finally admitted that she may not have sung every single note.

Fans were a little more black and white. They took to the internet to say they were convinced that the Girls Aloud singer mimed her vocals during last night’s performance.

What fans at home were not told is that her entire performance was recorded before the show started. It appeared to viewers that she was performing the song live. But in reality her routine had been recorded in front of the studio audience about an hour before the show began.

The performance represented Miss Cole's singing comeback coming just three months after she nearly died from malaria.

The 27-year-old was given a massive platform to promote her new single Promise This and the new album on last night's show.


Tricks of the trade: But the singer appeared to be miming parts of the track, which she pre-recorded an hour before the show went on air


The real star of the show: She was surrounded by an army of backing dancers as she stepped from behind the judges desk to take centre stage


Given how stricken the singer was in the summer the performance still represented an amazing comeback for the star.

She was given a rapturous applause from the studio audience and looked to be relieved to have completed her return when she finished the song.

Miss Cole donned a white jacket, stripey stockings, a tutu and boots for the routine and was joined by an army of dancers as she jumped around the stage.

With her hair dyed red she was surrounded by dancers in black suits with kipper ties who were seen praying behind her for the routine.


All in a day's work: She was given a rapturous applause from the studio audience and looked to be relieved to have completed her return when she finished the song


Excuses, excuses: ITV claimed the decision to pre-record the show was made as it was impractical for Miss Cole to carry out her judging duties if she was also singing on the show


Her performance came on the same show that singer John Adeleye become the latest contestant to be voted off.

The wannabee pop star who was being mentored by Louis Walsh suffered after his routine came under fire for a distracting dance performance on Saturday night.

ITV claimed the decision to pre-record the show was made as it was impractical for Miss Cole to carry out her judging duties if she was also singing on the show. They did the same when she performed Fight For This Love on the show last year.


Friendly chat: Cheryl speaks to host Dermot O'Leary after her high-energy routine and breaths a sigh of relief


Other shows like BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing also pre-record singing performances.
Miss Cole has had a massively tough year. As well as the health scare she has split from England footballer Ashley Cole.

On this series of the show she has come under fire from fans for deciding not to pick Zimbabwean singing sensation Gamu Nhengu.


Dressed to impress: Cheryl made her entrance on the results show in a short silver and white number while, right, Dannii donned a black dress with floral design


But all of the acts in her category - Cher Lloyd, Katie Waissel, Trey C Cohen and Rebecca Ferguson - are all still in the competition..

Her performance comes during a week of high profile coverage of the star on ITV. On Saturday night she was seen breaking down in tears as she talked to Piers Morgan about her illness earlier this year and the painful split with her long-time partner.
The show has come under fire recently from various performers about its negative impact on the music industry.

Recently Elton John hit out at the show calling it boring and 'brain crippling'. But this weekend Simon Cowell hit back at the singer claiming he would send the star a tape of Rebecca Ferguson's performance to prove him wrong.

An ITV spokesman denied that Miss Cole had mimed at all during her performance.





source :dailymail
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It cost £50m to hang on to Wayne Rooney, but for a Manchester United win it took... two pea!

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By IAN LADYMAN

Two pea: Javier Hernandez scored a double to hand Manchester United victory at the Britannia Stadium


A remarkable week in the life of Manchester United ended in totally predictable fashion with a win at Stoke City.

United always beat Stoke. Prior to yesterday’s game, Sir Alex Ferguson’s team had a goal record of 12-0 against the team from North Staffordshire over the two and a bit seasons the hosts have resided in the Barclays Premier League.

At least Stoke now have a goal, but they still have no points. Nor did they deserve any as United finally discovered something of their true selves away from home.


Wayne Rooney may have been resting his sore ankle and counting the noughts on the end of his new salary on his 25th birthday while his team-mates put in a hard shift in sight of an old Potteries coalfield, but they didn’t need him.

It is perhaps for the better that Rooney is not around at the moment.
His absence from the squad — he is not expected to be back for a fortnight — has allowed United to return to the business of winning matches without any of the fuss that has engulfed them over recent days.

And it was pertinent that one of the young players in whom Ferguson so eloquently declared his faith last week should earn United their first league away win of the season.

For Javier Hernandez — the Little Pea — this was a landmark day.
With Chelsea having won on Saturday and United’s upstart neighbours City initially making an early case to be considered the champions’ main rivals this season, it was a game that really had to be won.


How did he do that? Hernandez scored his first goal by nodding the ball in with the back of his head


It was, as expected, a relatively hard-fought affair.

United should arguably have lost Gary Neville to a second yellow card before half-time and they were also denied a clear-cut penalty for a push by Rory Delap on Patrice Evra. Suffice to say, referee Andre Marriner didn’t have his best afternoon.

Ultimately, the day will be remembered for the impudence and opportunism of Hernandez, 22.


Lucky boy: Gary Neville was spared a red card but substituted soon after


Certainly, the Mexican is a different type of player from Rooney. Not as bullish, aggressive or energetic. He is, though, a natural finisher and his first goal yesterday will long be remembered.

Quite how he found himself facing the wrong way as Nemanja Vidic headed a Nani cross in his direction is something maybe even he will never know.

But how he managed to find the strength and power to essentially back-head the ball past Thomas Sorensen and high into the net is something else completely.
‘I don’t know if I have ever done that before,’ said Hernandez.

‘Perhaps I have done it on the training ground. But for me it was just important that we won this game.’

United did indeed need to win.

Having drawn five away games already this season, their problems on the road had threatened to derail their title challenge long before Rooney muscled his way back into the headlines over that £200,000-a-week five-year contract.

Briefly, it did look as though things might fall apart for them again.
For all their possession and the threat they carry at set-pieces and throw-ins, Stoke had struggled to create a genuine opening.

Such is United’s luck this season, though, that the first time Stoke did manage a shot on goal it went in.

Paul Scholes gave the ball away inexplicably and eventually it was moved wide to substitute Tuncay. The Turk advanced into the penalty area, stepped inside Evra and swung a superb left-foot shot across Edwin van der Sar and into the top corner.


Rare occurrence: Paul Scholes gave the ball away which allowed Stoke to equalise


For a team who have suffered several hammer blows away from home this season, United must have felt this one like a wrecking ball.

With eight minutes left, however, there was time for a fightback and on this occasion they managed to find an answer.

Once again it was Hernandez who scored, but this time it was the intelligence of his forward partner Dimitar Berbatov that stood out.



Equaliser: Tuncay Sanli curled the ball past Edwin van der Sar


Three times in the build-up, the Bulgarian made himself available for possession as United carried the ball left to right across the penalty area.

And when his neat cross was headed on by Scholes, Evra was able to hook a shot across goal that Hernandez turned in from seven yards.

It was the decisive moment of the game and it may yet prove to be a critical goal in terms of United’s whole season.

For a team who have been looking for a spark for some time, it is possible that they have just found one. Earlier in the game everything had been a little scrappy.

Undoubtedly Marriner’s decision not to dismiss Neville was important. Booked early on for a foul on Matthew Etherington, the 35-year-old followed that with a dreadfully mistimed lunge on the same player.

At half-time Ferguson berated Marriner for failing to penalise a Delap foul on Nani but deep down he must have known his team had got away with it and were fortunate not to be down to 10 men.

And he made sure Neville, playing his 600th game for United, avoided a second yellow by replacing him just before the second half kicked off.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis was understandably bemused. Incidents like this do give credence to suggestions that the more successful teams get the rub of the green when it comes to key decisions.

For United, it no longer matters. There was a feeling at full time that this may prove to be the day that their season began in earnest.

It is worth noting that they have not actually lost a competitive game since April 3. That is a run of 20 games.

In the fuss of the last week, statistics like that have gone unnoticed.



source :dailymail
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Man City 0 Arsenal 3: Rampant Gunners shoot down 10-man City with super show at Eastlands

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By MATT LAWTON

Cutting edge: Samir Nasri celebrates Arsenal's opener


Arsene Wenger was probably the last person Danny Murphy would have named when he accused certain managers of encouraging their players to take a rather too physical approach to the game.

But Wenger appears to have drawn something out of this Arsenal team that too often seemed to be missing from their DNA.

Something that enabled them to visit Eastlands and add a touch of the dark arts to their usual artistry.

There was nothing too crude or reckless. Nothing that even went close to inflicting serious injury on a player. But against a physically powerful Manchester City side that out-muscled Chelsea not so long ago, the lightest team in the Barclays Premier League proved they can mix it with the big boys.

While the dismissal of Dedryck Boyata after only four minutes had a significant impact on this fiercely contested game, such is the quality of Roberto Mancini’s side that they still made Arsenal fight for their victory.

Wenger said they were no longer ‘a soft team’ and they demonstrated as much with four yellow cards, all collected inside the first 35 minutes, as well as goals from Samir Nasri, Alex Song and Nicklas Bendtner.


You're off: Boyata sees red from Mark Clattenburg


They were excellent in securing only their second win in nine away games in the league, with Cesc Fabregas, Nasri and Lukasz Fabianski particularly impressive. Fabregas reacted with incredulity when he was awarded the man of the match champagne.
‘What?’ he said. ‘I missed a penalty. How can I be man of the match?’

But he was terrific, providing his usual exhibition of the beautiful football as well as the gritty determination required when going toe to toe with someone of Nigel de Jong’s notoriety. For City, it amounted to the end of a rather depressing few days.

Denied the chance to revel any longer in the apparent break-up between Wayne Rooney and Manchester United — one banner yesterday declared the stadium a ‘Shrek-free zone’ — they then had to deal with the double disappointment of first seeing United win and then their own chances of closing the gap on Chelsea disappear.


Last action: Manchester City's Dedryck Boyata was sent off for this challenge on Arsenal's Marouane Chamakh


It leaves Arsenal, City and United tied on 17 points, but five points adrift of a Chelsea side looking an increasingly good bet for back-to-back titles under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti.

His friend and old Milan rival is unlikely to admit as much, although Mancini struggled to face up to the fact that Mark Clattenburg was correct to send off his 19-year-old defender for denying Marouane Chamakh a clear scoring opportunity — created by an excellent ball from Fabregas — with a foul challenge.

Clattenburg does have a slightly unfortunate manner at times, not least in the way he engages with players. But he was right to issue the red card and he was right to award the penalty Fabregas subsequently missed.


Gunning down: Samir Nasri hits the Gunners opener


On a day when City paid an emotional tribute to Malcolm Allison, the chances of honouring the great man quickly diminished. Boyata was dismissed, Yaya Toure was moved from midfield to centre half to provide necessary cover and City lost the upper hand.

Which was a pity for City, given how explosively they started. David Silva squandered a super chance to score when he met a ball from Carlos Tevez with a flicked effort that was all too easy for Fabianski to save, and soon after that it took a fine interception from Bacary Sagna to deal with the danger posed by Micah Richards’s cross.

Even after City had been reduced to 10 men they created chances, with Tevez guiding a shot into the arms of Fabianski. But shortly after Johan Djourou had directed a header over the City bar when he should have scored, Nasri scored his seventh goal in six starts.


Up ended: Nigel De Jong sends the Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas flying


His impressive 20th-minute strike came courtesy of a delightful one-two with Andrey Arshavin that caught a static City defence by surprise.

The battle in midfield intensified and it was Fabregas who dominated, bursting into the final third of the pitch and inviting Vincent Kompany to bring him down as he accelerated into the area. Right again, Clattenburg pointed to the spot.


Lifeline: Joe Hart saves Fabregas' penalty just before half-time


But Fabregas shot to his right, Joe Hart guessed right and the England keeper made a brilliant save. With Tevez struggling with what looked like a thigh injury, Mancini sent on Emmauel Adebayor. But there would be no repeat of last season’s drama.

Nothing for the former Arsenal striker to celebrate. Fabianski stopped the one decent effort he unleashed, having already denied Silva.


Gunned down: Song doubles Arsenal's lead with this well taken strike


By the 66th minute Song had increased Arsenal’s advantage, finishing a swiftly executed move that began with Arshavin and continued with Nasri, Fabregas and Chamakh before Wayne Bridge got the last touch prior to Song’s right-foot shot flying past Hart.

With City now chasing desperately with the assistance of Mario Balotelli, a third Arsenal goal was always likely on the counter-attack and so it proved. One nice ball from Nasri and Bendtner was clear, guiding his shot beyond the advancing Hart.


Thanks for the memories: Manchester City players and supporters paid tribute to ex-manager Malcolm Allison - who died last week


Wenger will still have his issues with his players, given how many chances City created despite the loss of a man.

But if anyone had doubts about Arsenal’s ability to remain in the title hunt alongside City and United, this would have gone some way to erasing them. For once they showed a bit of steel as well as style






source :dailymail
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Fernando Torres taps into spirit of Anfield as Roy Hodgson faces talk of dressing room revolt

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By CHRIS WHEELER

At last: Fernando Torres' second goal of the season gave Liverpool a second win


Whether Liverpool wheeled out Gerry Marsden for a rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone in honour of the club’s new owners or in aid of Roy Hodgson is anyone’s guess, but it certainly set the tone at Anfield yesterday.

It was a show of unity in difficult times, demonstrating to the men from New England Sports Ventures what the Kop sounds like in full cry.

A show of support for the boss might be pushing it too far, given that Hodgson might well have been walking alone had the debacle at home to Blackpool and Merseyside derby defeat at Everton been followed by another disappointment against Blackburn.

But Hodgson’s second Premier League win, thanks to a second goal of the season from a revitalised Fernando Torres in a frantic five minutes after half-time, took some pressure off the Liverpool manager even if it was not enough to lift his side out of the relegation zone.

His fist-pumping celebration of Torres’s strike and relieved demeanour afterwards were understandable.

He had gone into the game amid speculation that Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher were battling to keep the dressing room behind him, and the new American owners had given him two games to turn things around after the club’s worst start to a top-flight campaign for more than half a century.


We're watching you: Roy Hodgson went into the game with talk of a dressing room revolt hanging over him


NESV co-owner Tom Werner was joined in the directors’ box by new board members David Ginsberg and Michael Gordon for the first home game since their takeover, although a sick John W Henry had to watch from home in Boston.

He will have been heartened by this display but Hodgson, sacked by Blackburn before the midway point of the season 12 years ago, acknowledged that one win is not enough.
‘We’ve got ourselves in a perilous position,’ he said.


On target: Joe Cole was denied by a fine save from Paul Robinson


‘One victory is going to help but it’s going to take time until we can see daylight.
‘We don’t know what the owners are thinking. There is media talk of “lose two games and sack the coach” but I’m not sure the owners have that mindset. I divorce myself from all of that.

‘It’s all very well having must-win games but there’s an opponent out there trying to stop you, and you can’t get out of your mind how bad it’s going to be if you make a mistake.’


Old red: El-Hadji Diouf's shot led to Jamie Carragher's own goal


For all Liverpool’s enterprise yesterday and the chances they created in the first half, feelings of unease looked close to the surface.

It might have been different if they had secured the lead they thoroughly deserved before half-time, and for that they could blame Paul Robinson whose superb saves denied Joe Cole, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and, in particular, Steven Gerrard.

The irony will not have been lost on many at Anfield that Sam Allardyce’s side were bullied in the air throughout.

Without regular centre backs Chris Samba and Ryan Nelsen, and with Steven Nzonzi limping off before half-time, a team who base their attack on high balls and set-pieces were exposed to the barrelling runs and aerial dominance of Kyrgiakos.

It was certainly no surprise when the big Greek made the breakthough three minutes after half-time.

Gerrard sent over a corner from the left and Phil Jones lost track of the excellent Kyrgiakos, who rose unmarked to power a header past Robinson — helped on its way by Michel Salgado.

‘I felt there was huge relief around the whole ground when they scored,’ said Allardyce.

There was. The last thing Liverpool expected was a Blackburn equaliser within three minutes, when substitute Benjani crossed from the right and ex-Liverpool man El-Hadji Diouf gave Martin Skrtel the slip and fired low towards the far post.



It's a start: Hodgson hopes Torres, celebrating here with Martin Skrtel, can rediscover his form and desire


Paul Konchesky tried to clear but hacked the ball into the back of the unfortunate Carragher, who deflected it over the line.

‘When it’s in the back of the net you think, “How on earth did that get there?”,’ sighed Hodgson, adding it was not the first soft goal his side had conceded this season.


Carragher has now scored seven own goals in the Premier League for Liverpool — three more than he has managed at the other end. Only Aston Villa’s Richard Dunne has more, scoring an eighth this weekend.

Luckily for Carragher and Konchesky, Liverpool were back in front within two minutes.

Again, they exposed the weakness of Blackburn’s defence, Cole crossing to the edge of the six-yard box for an unmarked Torres to side-foot past Robinson.
It was a confident goal, Torres’s first since Liverpool’s only other league win, over West Bromwich in August.

Hodgson is hoping the player can revive the team.
He said: ‘Torres was very down when he came back from the World Cup. People get down when they’re criticised left, right and centre.

'Maybe he’s just beginning to come out of that and find the joy of playing again. You can’t infuse that into a player.

'You can ask him for it but he’s the one who has to find it in himself.
‘That was his best performance this season. But we need him to score many goals if we’re going to move into the place in the table where we want to be.’


source: dailymail
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