ROVERS' chances of claiming a place in Europe look to be diminishing ever further after going down 3-1 at Anfield.

After a goalless first half, the game sprang to life just before the hour mark when Steven Gerrard played a neat one-two with Lucas to beat Friedel from close range.

Rovers rallied, David Bentley sent a free-kick narrowly wide, whilst defender Martin Skrtel was fortunate to stay on when as the last man he brought down Jason Roberts and only a yellow card was issued.

Fernando Torres headed home his regulation goal with eight minutes remaining, then Andriy Voronin tapped home on ninety minutes.

There was still time for Rovers to register a goal of their own and it was probably the goal of the game when Roque Santa Cruz acrobatically hooked home his 19th of the season, but the game was already over as a contest.

The result leaves Rovers four points behind Aston Villa in 7th and with Manchester United at Ewood in six days time, the prospects of another European campaign look to be ending slowly.

Just the one change was made by boss Mark Hughes ahead of kick-off, Brett Emerton was preferred at right-back to Andre Ooijer. Likewise Rafa Benitez resisted the urge to make wholesale changes after their midweek Champions League exploits, just the three changes made, Arbeloa, Lucas and Babel getting the nod to start.

In the Mersey rain the game started slowly, but it was the visitors who could have had the opening goal of the game, a flick from Bentley fed Jason Roberts in the area, but with the linesman's flag raised, Roberts put the ball in the net. Replays showed that the official on the near side got that decision wrong.

That early Rovers chance work the home side, a Steven Gerrard corner was headed narrowly wide by Fernando Torres, a minute later Steven Reid's poor back pass played Brad Friedel in trouble but he just managed to get a vital clearing boot to the ball ahead of Torres.

Liverpool continued to force the pace, and on 18 minutes had strong claims for a penalty waved away, Steven Gerrard raced into the area from his own forward flick and went to ground acrobatically from the sliding Friedel. The two thousand Rovers fans held their breath, but only a goal kick was awarded by referee Alan Wiley.

With Liverpool growing ever frustrated Rovers started to grow more into the game, a Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick was just out of reach from a late arriving Samba in the area, but on 35 a fine move involving David Bentley saw Roque Santa Cruz force Jose Reina into making a save.

Dirk Kuyt had a lively first half on the right for Liverpool, Friedel dived to his left to deny the Dutchman after neat approach play, then five minutes from the break Kuyt headed narrowly wide at the back post from a Gerrard free-kick.

Both managers resisted the temptation to make changes at the break, as Rovers started the second period on the attack. Morten Gamst Pedersen's wicked inswinging free-kick is punched clear by Reina, then two minutes later the Spanish stopper charged to his left to clutch a Pedersen free-kick at the second attempt.

But just as it looked like Rovers might get something out of the game, the home side took the lead. Roque Santa Cruz's poorly placed pass was pounced on by sub Yossi Benayoun, the ball was switched to Steven Gerrard who exchanged passes with Lucas before beating Friedel from close range.

Pedersen blazed wide after beating two, but it was two incidents between Jason Roberts and Martin Skrtel in the space of sixty seconds that could have shaped the game so differently.

Firstly nothing was given when Skrtel wrestled Roberts to the ground on the edge of the area, then a minute later the Slovakian was last man as he again hauled Roberts to deck, but to the disgust of the Rovers striker, Skrtel only received a yellow card.

David Dunn and Benni McCarthy were thrown on in the last fifteen as Rovers looked for a way back into the game, it almost came from the boot of David Bentley but his curling free-kick was just inches wide of the far past with Reina scrambling to get across.

But with eight minutes to go the game was effectively over, again it the goal came from an errant pass as Ryan Nelsen cleared only as far as Benayoun, the play was quickly switched to Steven Gerrard who was afforded too much room on the right and Fernando Torres just evaded the offside trap to head home his centre back past Friedel.

As the clock ticked over to ninety minutes Andriy Voronin added a third when Christopher Samba unfortunately diverted a cross into the path of Riise who centred for the Ukrainian to score.

Rovers did eventually manage a goal at the death, Roque Santa Cruz with a stunning strike on the turn, but it was too little too late.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Gerrard (c), Torres (sub Voronin 86 mins), Aurelio, Alonso (sub Riise), Arbeloa, Kuyt, Babel (sub Benayoun 59 mins), Lucas, Carragher, Skrtel.

Subs not used: Itandje (GK), Hyypia.

ROVERS: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen (c), Warnock, Bentley, Reid, Vogel (sub Dunn 74 mins), Pedersen (sub McCarthy 74 mins), Roberts, Santa Cruz.

Subs not used: Brown (GK), Ooijer, Mokoena.

Booked: Skrtel (Liverpool)

Attendance: 43,283