As the money men sit down to discuss Michael Owen's contract and future, the striker made pretty sure everyone knew his worth.

Those long awaited talks have always been scheduled for April, and in the next few weeks boss Gerard Houllier predicts that Owen will agree to a two year extension to the current contract that runs out in the summer of 2005.

Owen, has been consistent in claiming he will be receptive to the pleadings from Anfield's hierarchy for him to stay.

But he just jogged a few minds as to his immense value to this club with two excellent goals to take his tally for the season to 16 as he fired Liverpool back into fourth spot.

Rovers were a shambles in the first half, torn apart by one of those all too rare flowing Liverpool attacking displays.

Owen certainly played his part and when he was finally withdrawn with 15 minutes left, his grateful manager led him away with an arm around his shoulder.

He would probably have been happier with a ball and chain, knowing that Liverpool's Champions League participation next term depends very much on Owen.

Newcastle had reclaimed fourth spot 24 hours earlier by battering four past Everton, but Liverpool's instant response shows that this is going to be a gripping race to to the wire between the two biggest clubs outside the current top three.

Rovers' chief Graeme Souness carried out his threat to leave out Lucas Neill, the Australian full-back who has been sent off in his last two games against Liverpool and was was responsible for the tackle that broke Jamie Carragher's leg back in September.

Owen passed a fitness test on his hamstring problem and was restored up front, having missed the draw at Leicester and the midweek England defeat in Sweden.

Liverpool were at Rovers' throats from the first second. Steven Gerrard was involved in three chances in the first four minutes, with another former Liverpool man - American 'keeper Brad Friedel - under merciless bombardment.

On seven minutes Harry Kewell fed Heskey who took three strides, pulling defenders towards him, before slipping the ball neatly to his left where Owen's instant shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner despite Friedel getting a hand on it.

Two minutes later Heskey laid on another with a clever header, but although Owen scampered perfectly into space in the box, his shot soared over the bar.

Somehow Rovers survived a little longer with Heskey, Gerrard and Owen all peppering the visitors' goal.

Owen and Gerrard again both had efforts blocked.

Blackburn made a fleeting raid, and when Markus Babbel fed Brett Emerton on the right - Kewell messing up a clearance with a silly back heel in a very dangerous position - the ball was fired into the box for Jonathan Stead to head wide.

That little scare concentrated a few Liverpool minds and they grabbed two goals in two minutes and a firm grip on proceedings.

First El-Hadji Diouf got in on the right and fired over a low cross that Andy Todd turned into his own net on 22 minutes with Owen closing in for the kill behind him.

Diouf was involved again two minutes later, moving fluently in from the right, he flicked the ball to Owen and the little hitman unleashed a fierce right foot drive on the run that crashed past Friedel into the far corner of the net.

Heskey had one of those all too rare games that shows why he is an England player and his power and movement tormented Rovers' slow back line.

John Arne Riise went on a rampaging run from his own half to be dragged down, at the second attempt, by Garry Flitcroft.

The Rovers' skipper was booked, having been lucky earlier to avoid a card for hauling down Gerrard.

Rovers took off the labouring Craig Short at the break, deploying Nils-Eric Johansson into the heart of their overworked defence, while Steven Reid replaced Flitcroft in midfield.

The changes saw a more committed Blackburn with Stead and Reid producing more of a threat.

But the sloppiness in defence was still there and when Emerton weakly headed away a cross, countryman Kewell lashed it back just wide of the far post.

Owen saw a 20-yard free-kick tipped over by Friedel while Sami Hyypia's close-range effort was deflected wide. Kewell and Dietmar Hamann also saw efforts blocked.

Danny Murphy replaced Diouf on 70 minutes, with Liverpool still striving for more success to boost their goal difference, Newcastle's four the previous day briefly giving them a better tally than Liverpool's.

Milan Baros took over from Owen on 75 minutes and three minutes later set up the fourth with a neat pass inside for Heskey to drill home his 10th of the season to mark one of his best displays of a disappointing, erratic season.

Teams

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Biscan, Hyypia, Riise, Diouf (Murphy 71), Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell, Heskey (Sinama Pongolle 85), Owen (Baros 76).

Subs Not Used: Henchoz, Luzi Bernardi.

Goals: Owen 7, Todd 22 og, Owen 24, Heskey 79.

Blackburn: Friedel, Babbel, Short (Johansson 45), Todd, Gray, Emerton, Tugay, Flitcroft (Reid 45), Andresen, Gallagher (Cole 61), Stead.

Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Yorke.

Booked: Flitcroft.

Att: 41,559

Ref: J Winter (Cleveland).