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

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  1. Not only can't you spell but you are going on about­ people from LIVERPOOL picking up giro's, are you­ from Liverpool? after all you are a Everton fan and­ Everton is a @#$% little district in Liverpool where­ the prostitutes and smackheads(if your froim Liverpool­ you'll know this) hang out, or are you one of those­ plastic @#$% from Wales or Widnes?

    From farrellvelloza, on Sat 27 Sep 11:24PM

  2. AT LAST A BIT OF SENCE FROM A RED NECK clivewilliamson­ CAHILL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SENT OFF THANK YOU

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 11:18PM

  3. Torres; Pure Class
    Tim Cahill shouldn't of been­ sent off, but apperantly he was only going to get a­ yellow until he swore and refused to go to the referee­ for his booking. So he got red carded. Sounds fairer on­ the referee if you don't just base the card on the­ tackle.
    Well Done Hull.
    YNWA

    From clivewilliamson, on Sat 27 Sep 11:12PM

  4. Torres; Pure Class
    Tim Cahill shouldn't of been­ sent off, but apperantly he was only going to get a­ yellow until he swore and refused to go to the referee­ for his booking. So he got red carded. Sounds on the­ referee if you don't just base the card on the­ tackle.
    Well Done Hull.
    YNWA

    From clivewilliamson, on Sat 27 Sep 11:12PM

  5. WHAT EVER YOU GOB S**TES WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU BUYING­ THE CLUB FROM THE YANKS DIDN'T YOUR GIROS TURN UP­ YOU DOLEITE TO**ERS!

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 11:05PM

  6. A quick note to Stevecfc57,
    At least we are safe from­ getting stabbed or street robbed or car jacked or any­ other of that shady @#$% that go's on in that @#$%­ over crowded illegal immigrant filled city of­ your's. You have no history (apart from the lower­ league's) the sooner Abramovich gets bored with you­ the better

    From farrellvelloza, on Sat 27 Sep 10:46PM

  7. frankbrookside get a grip really ya toffee bitter blue

    From gdwkop23, on Sat 27 Sep 10:26PM

  8. HAHA BOSS SEEIN EVERTONIANS ANNOYED TYPICAL BITTER BLUE­ SH**TE HAHA. WELL DONE LIVERPOOL SHOW THEM WHAT WERE­ MADE OFF. YOULL NEVER WALK AONE!!

    From gdwkop23, on Sat 27 Sep 10:23PM

  9. it ia a game every 1 has a team and mine is the pool.­ you can not say anything about the league at this stage­ look where the dirty mancs are haha. well done HULL and­ good game everton thank f_*k only 1 red card good game­ tnx

    From craigyb, on Sat 27 Sep 10:06PM

  10. A quick note to all you scousers before you all go out­ nicking, I hope you enjoy this little run your on­ because when it's not long before you dumped by­ CHELSEA.

    From Steve, on Sat 27 Sep 9:41PM

  11. Hello 'frankbrookside' guess what; i'm a­ Liverpool fan, and I can spell. You Everton fans must­ be absolutely gutted, I mean you lost again. I also­ think you're comment was really original, calling­ Liverpool fans inbreds...that insult is made by people­ who aren't local to Liverpool, as Liverpool is also­ home to a 'B' team- Everton.
    Anyway i'm­ bored with replying to some Everton fan, because at the­ end of the day, there was only one team worth watching­ today. Liverpool simply have too much class and and are­ just the better team. They will go far this season!­ Well played lads.

    From ryanathompson10, on Sat 27 Sep 9:21PM

  12. About time you took ya dads @#$% out ya @#$% and made­ some sense.
    How the f*ck could the reff get bribed.its­ a derby you twonk.
    The best team won.
    AND YOUR STILL­ YOUR DADDIES LIL F*CK @#$%

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 9:05PM

  13. Hey WANKBROOKSIDE,loose the capps,are you @#$% blind or­ something you @#$%.typical @#$% fan.see's @#$% all­ of your own @#$%,but has plenty to say about a place­ youd never dare to go to,people like you would get @#$%­ raped by the staffies there you eedjit numpty

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 9:00PM

  14. SO HOW MUCH DID MIKE RILEY TAKE TO THROW YOU THE GAME­ YOU CHEATING NOB HEADS!!

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 8:56PM

  15. GO IN F**K YER MOTHERS AND SISTERS YOU GANG OF INBRED­ RED KNECK HILLBILLY SCUMBAGS IN TRY LEARNING HOW TO­ SPELL YOU RETARDS!!!

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 8:46PM

  16. Their is not mush else you can say when Pepe Reina­ didn't save a shot all game. Two good goals from­ the Premierships best striker Fernando Torres. I wonder­ if Liverpool would have got a penalty who would have­ taken it. Gerrard for his 100th or Torres for his­ hat-trick?

    From kieranm1, on Sat 27 Sep 8:31PM

  17. Great game, guys! All those­ "football-experts" predicted a draw for­ Liverpool today, I'm so glad you proved them­ wrong!!! It still hurts to remember Liverpool­ didn't win against Stoke last week, they would have­ been leading the chart today, ahaed of Chelsea.. but­ it's nice to know they haven't lost a game in­ the PL so far and have conceded only 2 goals! Keep it­ up!

    From Malaguena S, on Sat 27 Sep 8:24PM

  18. HULL CITY

    From Rachael, on Sat 27 Sep 8:04PM

  19. You will NEVER walk alone!!

    From Liverpool FC Rules, on Sat 27 Sep 7:53PM

  20. pearls of wisdom lol whoops, i me forgot the quotation­ marks,damn!!!!.

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 7:46PM
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