BLACKBURN secured a point with a Matt Jansen goal against Liverpool, who went to the top of the Premiership after an entertaining high-noon showdown at Ewood.

England golden boy Michael Owen maintained his red-hot scoring streak with a typically devastating first half finish.

But Rovers hitman Matt Jansen then cancelled that out with a predatory second half strike of his own to ensure that honours remained even.

Neither manager could complain at a point after Liverpool had dominated the first half only for a rejuvenated Rovers to mount a rousing second half fightback.

Veteran schemer Gary McAllister unlocked the Rovers defence with a raking right-wing centre and Owen timed his leap to perfection, guiding a textbook header inside Brad Friedel's left-hand post for his seventh league goal of the season.

Phil Thompson's Reds had totally dominated the opening 45 minutes in terms of possession.

But Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek was called on to make a couple of important stops as Rovers tried to hit the Merseysiders on the break.

Ironically, Rovers' best chance of the half came just 60 seconds before Owen's goal.

Keith Gillespie slipped a clever ball into Matt Jansen and the Ewood goal-ace spun on a sixpence before letting fly from 25 yards but Dudek fumbled his shot around the post.

Rovers only other chance fell to David Dunn on the stroke of half time but Dudek again touched his effort around the post.

Rovers: Friedel, Curtis, Tugay, Berg, Bjornebye, Short, Flitcroft, Dunn, Jansen, Duff, Gillespie. Subs: Bent, Hughes, Hignett, Taylor, Kelly

Liverpool: Dudek, Henchoz, Hyypia, Fowler, Owen, Berger, Hamann, Gerrard, Riise, McAllister, Carragher. Subs: Smicer, Heskey, Redknapp, Murphy, Kirkland

Referee: M Riley