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Luis Suarez answered his critics with the winning goal as a profligate Liverpool side beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at Anfield to move into the top six of the Premier League.

The Uruguayan forward was hit with a second FA charge this week for allegedly making an offensive hand gesture to Fulham fans, adding to his ongoing defence against an accusation of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

It looked like his bad week may continue as Suarez missed several gilt-edged opportunities, while team-mate Maxi Rodriguez was denied a hat-trick by some excellent goalkeeping by Radek Cerny.

But Suarez’s flicked header early in the second half proved sufficient for a wasteful Reds side to get past a plucky Hoops team, who offered little going forward and were spared a thrashing by some resolute if haphazard defending and the excellence of reserve keeper Cerny.

Kenny Dalglish’s side move into the top six, ahead of a sliding Newcastle, while QPR stay lower-mid table.

The first half was predictably all Liverpool with QPR limited to a couple of half-chances from range that did not come close to testing Pepe Reina.

Just as predictably though the Reds struggled to find the net - Andy Carroll had been left out of the starting XI, so it was Suarez this time lacking in end-product.

The Uruguay forward is as temperamental as he is talented, a lack of focus that applies to both finishing and decision-making - before the match he had the lowest conversion ratio of Premier League forwards who have scored three or more goals, that statistic of under eight per cent as much a result of attempting the spectacular as it is a lack of composure in front of goal.

From eight yards he headed straight at veteran Czech keeper Cerny when found unmarked by a superb Stewart Downing cross, and soon afterwards he drilled a shot across goal and wide from a tight angle when Dirk Kuyt and Maxi were free.

Suarez did exactly the same again late in the half, although that time the chance came about when his initial finish was well-saved by Cerny at the near post, while the former Ajax forward skewed a finish embarrassingly wide after he was set up by Maxi.

Argentine attacking midfielder Maxi - restored to the starting line-up with Jordan Henderson moved inside following injuries to Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, and Jay Spearing's suspension - had a low curling finish well-saved by Cerny, who again showed smart reflexes to keep out Downing’s effort after the England winger was played in by a clever Kuyt backheel.

Somehow it remained goalless at half-time, although that changed almost immediately after the break.

Early in the second half Liverpool won a corner, which the visitors initially defended: the second ball saw Charlie Adam glide in a great cross, with Luke Young dragged woefully out of position to allow Suarez a free header that this time he buried from close range.

Things got worse for QPR though as Anton Ferdinand, who had been by far their most capable defender, went off with a thigh injury after over-stretching while evading an Adam tackle.

Liverpool continued to pepper QPR’s overworked penalty area, with Maxi denied what looked a certain goal by a remarkable save from Cerny, wrongfooted but able to readjust and tip his low finish off the post.

The impressive Cerny made another superb stop from the increasingly exasperated Maxi, spreading himself to block his close-range finish after a succession of one-twos with Suarez played the ex-Atletico Madrid man through.

Such escapes gave QPR a chance to snatch a barely-deserved equaliser, and they almost did so when Danny Gabbidon poked a pinpoint free-kick from Joey Barton wide, while a succession of corners tested the home defence.

Indeed, going a goal down was the best thing that happened to Rangers, who bossed the latter stages although admittedly without forcing any saves of note from Reina.

The counter attack actually suited Liverpool, as Suarez felt Bradley Orr had handled his ball in the box, while substitute Craig Bellamy curled a long-range free-kick into the side netting and QPR winger Shaun Wright-Phillips almost scored a spectacular own-goal as he mis-kicked Bellamy’s cross against his own bar.

As it happened there was not too much for the hosts to worry about as they saw out three minutes of stoppage time to hold on to a victory that snaps a poor home streak of four draws on the trot.

Blackpool put some much-needed space between them and the Premier League relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road.

Charlie Adam maintained his 100 per cent record from the penalty spot to give Blackpool the lead before top scorer DJ Campbell added another just before half-time.

After Tottenham laid siege to their hosts' goal - they ended up registering 25 shots, 10 of which were on target - Blackpool substitute Brett Ormerod added a third 10 minutes from time to seal the Tangerines' first win over Spurs since 1966.

Roman Pavlyuchenko scored a late consolation for Spurs, but by then most of the travelling fans were already headed back to London. However, the Russian's injury-time strike means that Bloomfield Road has still not seen a clean sheet from any team all season.

The win was only Blackpool's second in their last 10 league games, but it was enough to lift them from 16th to 12th in the table, below Blackburn Rovers on goal difference. Tottenham's first defeat in six league games denied them the chance to go third and they remain in fourth, two points behind Manchester City.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was typically bold in his team selection, handing striker Sergei Kornilenko his debut in a three-man attack alongside Campbell and James Beattie, while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp fielded Jermain Defoe and Pavlyuchenko up front.

This rearranged meeting between two of the Premier League's most attacking sides promised plenty of goalmouth action, but the opening stages failed to produce, with Steven Pienaar's sliced shot from range the only effort of note.

That all changed on 18 minutes when Campbell drew a foul from Sebastien Bassong inside the Spurs area, and Blackpool skipper Adam stepped up to convert his fifth spot-kick of the season.

Spurs were sparked into action, with Steven Pienaar having several efforts blocked before Defoe lifted the ball over goalkeeper Richard Kingson only for Craig Cathcart to head the ball off the line.

Defoe, still searching for his first league goal of the season, was again denied at the last when Kingson palmed Aaron Lennon's cross into the path of the England striker, but once more Cathcart was well placed to block the effort.

That denial of an equaliser for Spurs was compounded by a sucker punch as Blackpool doubled their lead on the break. Campbell surged forward through the centre before passing to Kornilenko, who moved the ball out wide to Beattie. The striker, on loan from Rangers, bent in an inviting cross which Campbell headed in at the far post for his ninth league goal of the season.

Tottenham have recouped more points from losing positions this season than any other side, and the manner in which they emerged after break certainly illustrated that.

Right from the restart Neal Eardley made a vital sliding block on Pienaar's effort inside the area, and soon afterwards Pavlyuchenko had a header saved by Kingson and Luka Modric flashed a strike just over the bar.

Adam's surge into the Spurs box and low strike across goal showed Blackpool still carried a real threat, but Spurs continued to hammer their hosts and it only looked a matter of time before they broke through.

Half-time substitute Jermaine Jenas and Pavlyuchenko both narrowly missed low balls across the six-yard box before Kingson blocked another Pavlyuchenko header.

Niko Kranjcar and Peter Crouch were introduced to try and force the issue, but when Modric was denied a penalty by referee Chris Foy after Kingson sent him flying, it looked as though Tottenham's luck had run out.

And so it proved when two Blackpool substitutes combined to put the game beyond the visitors on 80 minutes. Benoit Assou-Ekotto shielded the ball from the persistent Matt Phillips inside the Tottenham box, but in doing so showed it to Ormerod, who tucked a finish underneath Heurelho Gomes for his first Premier League goal in over seven years.

By the time Pavlyuchenko's speculative effort clipped off Cathcart and over Kingson's head in the third minute of injury time, the result was no longer in doubt, and even the late denial of an extra step up the table could not dampen Blackpool's joy at hearing the final whistle.