Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler provided manager Rafael Benitez with further evidence that he deserves a new contract with his latest match-winning goal against Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Fowler, whose short-term deal following his January transfer-window arrival from Manchester City expires in the summer, made it four in five matches as the Reds stretched their winning run to seven games.

It was also his third in successive outings - the first time he has achieved such a feat for the Anfield club since November 1997.

Although it was controversial goal it has virtually guaranteed Liverpool at least third place in the Barclays Premiership - putting pressure on Manchester United for second - and gave Benitez a 46th birthday present to savour.

It remains to be seen, though, whether Fowler's scoring streak will be enough to land him the longer-term deal he would love to sign.

Remarkably the goal came after a chanceless opening 29 minutes that ebbed and flowed but did nothing to suggest what was to follow.

The game exploded following a long throw from John Arne Riise from just inside the Blackburn half that was chested on by Fowler.

Although left alone by Djibril Cisse as an overlapping Fernando Morientes collected the pass, the Frenchman was at least four yards offside and undoubtedly interfering with play.

However, the linesman chose not to raise his flag and that allowed Morientes to tee up Fowler for a simple sidefoot finish from 10 yards.

Understandably, that sparked furious Blackburn protests as a number of players raced across to the referee's assistant, seemingly with good cause, albeit to no avail.

Referee Alan Wiley was forced to intervene as the argument raged, but Rovers' fury fell on deaf ears.

It proved the winner, extending Liverpool's unbeaten run over Rovers to 15 matches in the Premiership, and all but extinguishing Blackburn's hopes of Champions League football for next season.

In fairness, it was another masterclass in defending from goalkeeper Jose Reina and his back line, with the Spain international beating Ray Clemence's club record for goals conceded in the first half century of Reds matches.

Reina has let in just 29 goals in his 50 games, compared to the 32 of Clemence back in 1970-71.

Struggling to muster any kind of opportunity of their own, Blackburn were fortunate not to fall two goals behind on the stroke of half time.

Cisse timed a run to perfection in latching onto a ball over the top of the Blackburn defence from Fowler.

Racing into the area, and with only Brad Friedel to beat, the France international drilled goalwards a drive the American blocked well, with the ball bouncing up and onto the crossbar.

Even then that was not the end of the first-half action as further arguments followed on the touchline when Lucas Neill felled Cisse.

Rovers manager Mark Hughes felt the challenge was a fair one as he repeatedly shouted and gesticulated at Cisse to "get up".

Bearing in mind this was the ground on which Cisse suffered a near career-threatening leg-break injury in October 2004, the Liverpool bench were perhaps justified in registering their own protests at Hughes.

First-team coach Alex Miller was particularly animated, exchanging words with Hughes, while Benitez registered his own concerns, with fourth official Howard Webb required to diffuse the situation.

In the end Wiley issued his fourth yellow card of the half to Neill as bookings for Rovers' Robbie Savage and David Bentley, along with Liverpool's Mohammed Sissoko, had preceded the Australian's caution.

A fifth arrived in the 55th minute as Xabi Alonso mis-timed a tackle on Reid, but at least at that stage Blackburn were creating chances and pressing for the equaliser.

Reina needed to be alert, and was smartly off his line in collecting a low right-wing ball from Bentley into the six-yard box, with Pedersen waiting to tap home at the far post.

Then moments later a glancing header at the near post from Nelsen to an inswinging Pedersen corner flashed across the face of Reina's goal.

Reina was then forced to tip over the bar a deep, penetrating left-wing cross from Dickov before more routinely gathering a powerful 25-yard half-volley from Bentley.

In the end, it was Liverpool who should have won more comfortably, only for Morientes to glance inches wide a pin-point cross from 69th-minute substitute Harry Kewell.

Then in the first of the five minutes added for injury time, Cisse had another one-on-one chance against Friedel.

Again the Blackburn goalkeeper superbly saved the initial effort, but this time the ball ran loose for Cisse, who followed up on the rebound by prodding his second attempt against the post.

Fortunately for Benitez it was not costly, while for Blackburn, the damage had earlier been done.

Teams

Blackburn Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Gray,Bentley, Savage, Reid, Pedersen, Dickov (Kuqi 67), Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Emerton, Mokoena, Peter.

Booked: Savage, Bentley, Neill.

Liverpool Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia,Warnock (Kewell 69), Cisse, Sissoko, Alonso, Riise,Morientes (Kromkamp 81), Fowler (Luis Garcia 63).

Subs Not Used: Dudek, Traore.

Booked: Sissoko, Alonso.

Goals: Fowler 29.

Att: 29,142

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).