Soccer Extreme : Blackpool produced a stirring display as they piled the pressure on Liverpool by beating the Merseysiders at Anfield.
Charlie Adam put the visitors ahead when he drove in a penalty after Glen Johnson tripped Luke Varney.
Varney controll
The defeat continues Liverpool's nightmare start to a season which has also seen them dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two Northampton and now leaves them third-from-bottom of the Premier League.
However, any notion that the Reds are in a false position was dispelled in the most part by a joyful Blackpool side, who blended a work-rate and commitment with some slick passing to celebrate a first win at Anfield since 1967.
There was a joie de vivre about Blackpool's play as they relished playing at Anfield for the first time since January 1971 and Adam had a powerful 20-yard free-kick blocked away by keeper Pepe Reina early on.
Liverpool suffered a setback with star striker Fernando Torres going off with an injury and, alth
Blackpool had an excellent chance to tale the lead when Neil Eardley curled in a teasing cross which DJ Campbell met on the half-volley but could only steer the wrong side of the far post.
Eardley cleared a Kyrgiakos header off the line at the other end but Liverpool were left shocked as the visitors took the lead when Adam drove in a penalty after Johnson tripped Varney.
Liverpool tried to respond as David Ngog robbed Adam of possession and shot straight at keeper Matt Gilks before Johnson, attempting to atone for his error, fainted inside and sent a shot high.
But Blackpool showed their more esteemed opponents the required cutting edge and guile to score a goal as Taylor-Fletcher dinked a ball into the diagonal run of Varney, who controlled with the outside of of his boot before lashing in a 12-yard shot.
Anfield was stunned and the ecstasy of the Blackpool fans was in contrast to the despair of the home fans, who booed their side off at the break.
Whatever Reds boss Roy Hodgson said to his side at half-time it had the desired impact as his side were stirred into action and they almost pulled one back when David Ngog met a Dirk Kuyt cross but headed wide.
However, Kyrgiakos made no such mistake as he powered in a header from a Steven Gerrard free-kick.
The Reds were now a different side to the forlorn one of the first half and, as they piled on the pressure, Joe Cole looked set to equalise when he was clean through only for his angled shot to roll agonisingly wide of the far post.
Blackpool were pinned back but, when they did attack on the counter-attack, Johnson crucially intercepted a Varney pull-back from the byline.
Liverpool's attacks petered out as Blackpool stood firm but it was only an excellent injury-time save by Gilks from a Kyrgiakos shot which secured the three points and moved them up to ninth. (bbc)
Charlie Adam put the visitors ahead when he drove in a penalty after Glen Johnson tripped Luke Varney.
Varney controll
ed a Gary Taylor-Fletcher pass and ruthlessly lashed in a shot to stun the Reds.
A powerful Sotirios Kyrgiakos header gave the Reds hope and he almost levelled in injury-time but was denied by a superb save by keeper Matt Gilks.
A powerful Sotirios Kyrgiakos header gave the Reds hope and he almost levelled in injury-time but was denied by a superb save by keeper Matt Gilks.
The defeat continues Liverpool's nightmare start to a season which has also seen them dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two Northampton and now leaves them third-from-bottom of the Premier League.
However, any notion that the Reds are in a false position was dispelled in the most part by a joyful Blackpool side, who blended a work-rate and commitment with some slick passing to celebrate a first win at Anfield since 1967.
There was a joie de vivre about Blackpool's play as they relished playing at Anfield for the first time since January 1971 and Adam had a powerful 20-yard free-kick blocked away by keeper Pepe Reina early on.
Liverpool suffered a setback with star striker Fernando Torres going off with an injury and, alth
ough they did not need it, served as further encouragement for the vibrant visitors.
Blackpool had an excellent chance to tale the lead when Neil Eardley curled in a teasing cross which DJ Campbell met on the half-volley but could only steer the wrong side of the far post.
Eardley cleared a Kyrgiakos header off the line at the other end but Liverpool were left shocked as the visitors took the lead when Adam drove in a penalty after Johnson tripped Varney.
Liverpool tried to respond as David Ngog robbed Adam of possession and shot straight at keeper Matt Gilks before Johnson, attempting to atone for his error, fainted inside and sent a shot high.
But Blackpool showed their more esteemed opponents the required cutting edge and guile to score a goal as Taylor-Fletcher dinked a ball into the diagonal run of Varney, who controlled with the outside of of his boot before lashing in a 12-yard shot.
Anfield was stunned and the ecstasy of the Blackpool fans was in contrast to the despair of the home fans, who booed their side off at the break.Whatever Reds boss Roy Hodgson said to his side at half-time it had the desired impact as his side were stirred into action and they almost pulled one back when David Ngog met a Dirk Kuyt cross but headed wide.
However, Kyrgiakos made no such mistake as he powered in a header from a Steven Gerrard free-kick.
The Reds were now a different side to the forlorn one of the first half and, as they piled on the pressure, Joe Cole looked set to equalise when he was clean through only for his angled shot to roll agonisingly wide of the far post.
Blackpool were pinned back but, when they did attack on the counter-attack, Johnson crucially intercepted a Varney pull-back from the byline.
Liverpool's attacks petered out as Blackpool stood firm but it was only an excellent injury-time save by Gilks from a Kyrgiakos shot which secured the three points and moved them up to ninth. (bbc)