Premier League - Torres bags brace in derby win

Eurosport - Sat, 27 Sep 19:47:00 2008

Fernando Torres returned to goalscoring form with a brace as Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 to win the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Liverpool celebrate - 0

The striker's first goals for over a month were enough to down an Everton side still looking for their first home win of the season, and continue Liverpool's impressive start to the season.

Neither Torres nor strike partner Robbie Keane began the match well after their stuttering seasons thus far, with the latter largely anonymous for long periods.

But they combined to open the scoring on 59 minutes when the Irishman latched onto Xabi Alonso's ball to pull a cross back from the byline that was bound for Torres. Dirk Kuyt's run towards the near post took the defender with him and Torres had more than enough space to fire a low volley under goalkeeper Tim Howard for his first goal since the winner at Sunderland on August 16.

After waiting 42 days for his second goal of the season, Torres would wait just three minutes for his third. With Everton clearly rattled by the opening goal Joseph Yobo slid in to tackle Kuyt well but saw the ball roll to Torres, and Howard could only palm the Spaniard's solid shot into the roof of the net.

The introduction of Louis Saha just after that goal sparked a half-hearted comeback for Everton, but their hopes were all but extinguished when Tim Cahill received a red card - perhaps harshly - for his scissor-tackle on Alonso.

After a subdued start, Liverpool went to dominate the possession, but it was the home side who had the two best chances to open the scoring.

Midway through the half, Joleon Lescott - back in the side at the expense of Leighton Baines - sent a long ball into the box from deep that neither goalkeeper Pepe Reina nor defender Jamie Carragher dealt with, and it fell to midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Everton's record signing had the whole of the goal to aim for with Reina out of the picture, but he fired from close range straight at Carragher on the goal-line.

Tim Cahill also had the chance to score, and get his third league goal in as many games. Mikel Arteta's corner pinged off several men in the box and, characteristically, Cahill was in the right place at the right time, but he saw the ball late and could only stab an effort wide of the mark.

Liverpool's best chance in the first half fell to Torres, but his turn and shot from close range was blocked by Joseph Yobo.

Saha did his best to impact upon the match after coming on but, despite making a couple of good opportunited for himself, could not repeat his influential second-half performance in the 2-2 draw against Hull City last weekend.

Referee Mike Riley - who handed out eight yellow cards in last Sunday's match between Chelsea and Manchester United - dished out a further three for each side in addition to Cahill's red, including one for Everton striker Yakubu after he went down in the Liverpool box early in the second half.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 72 - 91 of 91

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  1. Mambushe, I think I will. You've put me to shame.

    From bigs, on Mon 29 Sep 12:34PM

  2. liverpool is amazing they play brilliantly they are the winners. manchester united is a looser espacielli this season i don't love them i love liverpool they rock! if liverpool didn'twin in the premiere league and the champions league they will stay the winners in theirfans and country and their people and their town and in other countriesand in all over the world and universe and if they didn't win it will be totally wrong cause they are totally great and excellent!

    From Nathalie, on Mon 29 Sep 12:24PM

  3. Bigs You are just a historian, stick to it. Becarefull of slow starts, you might stay like that the whole season.

    From Mambushe, on Mon 29 Sep 11:45AM

  4. Scariest thing for me is I didn't see anything special from Liverpool yesterday, but you still outplayed us !! We've had a slow start to the season, but we can and probably will get better. People have got short memories. Anyone remember what happened after we got beat in the Goodison derby last year ??

    From bigs, on Sun 28 Sep 10:51PM

  5. As much an all as i would like to say it`s going to be Liverpool`s year.
    I cant.
    I have seen to many false dawns now to get carried away,so im just taking it one game at a time.
    Come on you reds.
    Y.N.W.A.

    From MICHAEL M, on Sun 28 Sep 7:37PM

  6. haha yes all they do is sing and moan about us, thats why they dont get anywhere wheres there europian cup then ey? until they get five they cant say anything about liverpool.

    From eg.williams@..., on Sun 28 Sep 2:37PM

  7. oh the bitter blues forever in our shadow..stop obssessin about liverpool and worry about your own team.. no silverware, no hope, no chance!from REDTORNADO

    From pjeffery, on Sun 28 Sep 10:37AM

  8. at the end of the day everton fans look at the table it don't lie come on you reds

    From John F, on Sun 28 Sep 8:43AM

  9. shame eveton!!!cachil shame !! EL NINIO IS HOT!!!TORRES ROAKS EVETON!!
    COme on liverpool
    come on rafa
    come on gerrard!

    From Bratu, on Sun 28 Sep 7:34AM

  10. torres....torres...

    battered them, purple aki didnt get a kick

    roll on thursday get those dole @#$% out of europe

    woop woop

    From mitch1974uk, on Sun 28 Sep 6:04AM

  11. You d***. What makes you so @#$% sure that it's Liverpools turn this season. It's far too early to determine this based on a few results. At this stage, anything can happen so don't hold your breath.

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 28 Sep 3:41AM

  12. Frank brookside is a imbred @#$%

    From Creaven91, on Sun 28 Sep 1:11AM

  13. It's been an hour since Frankknobhead Brookside posted a comment, his mum must have told him to get to bed!!!! @#$%!!

    From farrellvelloza, on Sun 28 Sep 12:23AM

  14. the toffees got well and truely chewed up. and that chelsea thicko go look at your trophy cabinet see how many times you have been champions of europe then come look at the best side in the world proven over the last 40 years lfc

    From liam, on Sat 27 Sep 11:56PM

  15. Liverpool looking like proper challengers this time , and not even firing on all fronts yet.... Dare I say this is the season the league title comes back to it`s rightful place..... Anfield!

    From gary b, on Sat 27 Sep 11:55PM

  16. C'mon Frankknobhead Brookside.
    Let me guess, West Derby,dovecot or prestatyn, definatlely not Everton

    From farrellvelloza, on Sat 27 Sep 11:53PM

  17. Frankknobhead Brookside,
    You bought Tim Cahill from Millwall, Enough said, he is @#$%, c'mon you @#$% justify him,

    From farrellvelloza, on Sat 27 Sep 11:46PM

  18. C'mon Frankknobhead Brookside,
    face facts, you are obviously a tit if you support Everton, they have been punching above thier weight for far to long and as i said before Everton is the worst district in Liverpool so the sooner you @#$% off and die the better,
    C'mon lad 15 million for that @#$% with the afro!!!!

    From farrellvelloza, on Sat 27 Sep 11:38PM

  19. @frankbrookside
    Of by 'Red Neck' you are suggesting I am American; I'm not. I'm from England. I support Liverpool, proudly. And no, Tim Cahill did not desrve to get sent off, but you are mislead in a lot of your comments. All the bad mouthing to LFC fans, why? We are people, the same as you, and do not deserve to be spoken to in that manner. And that the referee handed us the game, that's stupid, Cahill was sent off after we had scored, twice, and had an unfairly disallowed goal and a fairly disallowed goal. But all the curse words are definetly not neccessary, and if you come up with the lame excuse that LFC fans have been swearing at you to, what do you expect, your bound to get something back if you offend people with your comments. You are entitled to your opinion, but I will suggest that you back it up with reasons and facts, not "GO IN F**K YER MOTHERS AND SISTERS YOU GANG OF INBRED RED KNECK HILLBILLY SCUMBAGS IN TRY LEARNING HOW TO SPELL YOU RETARDS!!!" (You do know that 'yer' is spelt 'your'.)
    YNWA

    From clivewilliamson@..., on Sat 27 Sep 11:34PM

  20. F**K THE LOT OF YOU TO**ERS ANYWAY AS IF YOU LOT WILL WIN ANYTHING THIS SEASON THE REFS HAVE GOT ONTO GERRARDS DIVING THATS WHY HE DOES NOT DO IT ANYMORE JUST THE REST OF YA FU**IN SIDE DO IT NOW!

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 11:25PM
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