AT LAST Blackburn Rovers appear to have found a life after Alan Shearer. They may still be bottom of the Premiership but on the evidence of yesterday's inspired 3-0 victory over Liverpool their season is surely about to bottom out.

"Onwards and upwards," was the reaction of Tony Parkes, Blackburn's caretaker manager following the recent resignation of Ray Harford, to their first league win of the season. Even now Rovers are six points from the relatively safe haven of 17th place, but the all round qualities they showed in this match suggested that the gloom which has shrouded Ewood Park since Shearer's departure will have lifted completely by Christmas.

Speculation about Just who will succeed Harford continues to em brace almost everybody except Max Clifford, and his turn may yet come. Jack Charlton is the flavour of the week and the fishing around Blackburn is certainly attractive, but the strength of yesterday's performance was that it stemmed from rather subtler qualities than those with which Charlton is normally associated.

Liverpool were not only hustled out of their precise passing game, they were frequently outpassed by a Blackburn side adding an extra dimension to the sort of football which had won them the championship two seasons earlier. So regularly did Wilcox and Le Saux expose them on the left in the opening half hour, Liverpool were forced to change their formation by moving Thomas to right back.

With Sherwood and Flitcroft dominating Barnes and Thomas in midfield, McKinlay found the time, space and angle to open up the wings for Blackburn. Two of the goals followed crosses from Gallacher on the right but the influence of Wilcox on the opposite flank was equally crucial, especially with Le Saux restored to the side at left back after missing the best part of a year with a broken ankle.

Sutton's ability to hold the ball up, take on defenders and bring other people into the game was also fundamental to Blackburn's success but at the very heart of it lay the strength and authority of Hendry at centre back. Hendry had missed four matches following a groin operation, and his presence not only calmed the defence but gave the whole team renewed confidence.

This was only Liverpool's second defeat of the season in all competitions, a total of 16 matches, and they had suffered their first, at Manchester United three weeks earlier, after looking markedly the better side. Yesterday, however, they came second best in almost every aspect of the game.

Having fallen behind to a penalty in the second minute, Liverpool found themselves forced back on their heels by the resolute way Blackburn attacked the centre backs, Wright, Matteo and Babb, refused to let Barnes settle on the ball and denied McManaman his usual channels.

Liverpool began to come into the match towards half time when Blackburn, having established a 2-0 lead, were resting from the ferocious pace they had set. With Redknapp, who had replaced the injured Bjornebye, complementing Barnes they even caught the odd glimpse of the Blackburn goal. But Hendry remained resolute and immovable, and a third Blackburn goal early in the second half virtually ended the contest.

While Rovers took the lead from the penalty spot the move which led to Babb fouling Sutton set the pattern of the afternoon. Brisk passing by McKinlay and Sherwood exposed Liverpool on the right and Sutton was about to move clear when Babb brought him down.

Sutton himself scored with the penalty and nearly added a second in the 11th minute, when he deflected McKinlay's 30 yard shot just wide with James completely wrong footed.

Midway through the first half Flitcroft caught Babb in possession and quickly released Gallacher on the right. Gallacher's low eentre was fast and true, and Wilcox's volley at the far post increased Blackburn's lead.

Fowler, often isolated up front, took 34 minutes to achieve his first shot, a sharp volley which flew over the bar.

Liverpool promised something better at the start of the second half, with Redknapp and Barnes now looking to find McManaman or Fowler with long passes behind Blackburn defenders. But in the 5th minute Gallacher gathered a ball from Sherwood on the right and from his low centre Sutton ducked past Wright to glance in Blackburn's third.