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 32 - 51 of 91

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  1. LIVERPOOL WILL WIN ENGLAND PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIS NEXT YAER

    From Austine, on Sat 27 Sep 7:34PM

  2. Torres,Liverpool legend.
    When Robbie Keane starts scoring we'll have a chance to win the league.

    From yetiLFC1, on Sat 27 Sep 7:29PM

  3. Torres,Liverpool legend.
    When Robbie Keane starts scoring we'll have a chance to win the league.

    From yetiLFC1, on Sat 27 Sep 7:28PM

  4. torres is back...ynwa..lfc fantastic win

    From zaid, on Sat 27 Sep 7:20PM

  5. UP LIVERPOOL THANKS TO GERRARD,TORRES,KEANE,KUIJT AND ALOISO BECAUSE THEN ARE MY BOYS

    From Austine, on Sat 27 Sep 7:19PM

  6. what a performance by liverpool everton had a go for twenty minutes but after that it was all liverpool and it could have been four nil i dont think the score reflects the dominence as for the red card cahil walked away and ignored the referee after a bad tackle this upset riley who was going to give a yellow and showed the red because he has little man syndrome and wanted to show the world dont mess with riley sorry

    From S P, on Sat 27 Sep 7:08PM

  7. what a performance by liverpool everton had a go for twenty minutes but after that it was all liverpool and it could have been four nil i dont think the score reflects the dominence as for the red card cahil walked away and ignored the referee after a bad tackle this upset riley who was going to give a yellow and showed the red because he has little man syndrome and wanted to show the world dont mess with riley sorry

    From S P, on Sat 27 Sep 7:08PM

  8. terrific torres terrorises toffees, nuff said

    From tony s, on Sat 27 Sep 7:04PM

  9. terrible game. everton were horrible, ref was a disgrace and Liverpool are yet to look like even an average team. any other team in the league would have beat liverpool today.

    that new £15 boy felliani or whatever his name is was useless. terrible signing. he's scared of the ball. should have scored 2.

    everton should have had a penalty at very start. cant believe sky hardly even spoke bout it. the pundits on that are so pro liverpool it hurts

    From yip, on Sat 27 Sep 7:03PM

  10. everton supporters get a grip, now lets be honest we are the best team in liverpool. your club hasnt a history like ours, your current team is s++t in fact why do you support such a s++t club your all losers and will probably always be.

    From tony s, on Sat 27 Sep 7:02PM

  11. not styles riley whoops sorry

    From S P, on Sat 27 Sep 7:02PM

  12. what a performance by liverpool everton had a go for twenty minutes but after that it was all liverpool and it could have been four nil i dont think the score reflects the dominence as for the red card cahil walked away and ignored the referee after a bad tackle this upset styles who was going to give a yellow and showed the red because he has little man syndrome and wanted to show the world dont mess with styles

    From S P, on Sat 27 Sep 6:59PM

  13. Wazza!Just came up for air and to say looking pretty good for Liverpool,but we gotta focus on the next match.Incidentally,my flatmate,the Man U fan, skipped from doing the dishes after we thrashed them...hmm, a likely scenario don't you think,after all he supports MU ;-)

    From Robbie, on Sat 27 Sep 6:54PM

  14. COME ON THE MIGHTY REDS!!! 2 crackin goals by fernando torres, top scorer this season.

    Liverpool 2 win the prem!!!!

    From John Hartley, on Sat 27 Sep 5:41PM

  15. Comment 28 (frankbrookside) LEARN FROM THE MASTERS YOU STUPID BLUE-NOSED @#$%. tRY PLAYING FOOTBALL INSTEAD OF HOOFING IT UP IN THE AIR ALL THE TIME. STANDARD L WILL KILL YOU.

    From Bootlicker54, on Sat 27 Sep 5:40PM

  16. i'm so happy cause LIVERPOOL win cause they deserve it all the time they are players and a team that should be in history players like those should be happy for .
    I love Liverpool and i love FERNANDO TORRES ,STEVEN GERRARD ,DIRK KUYT ,XAVI ALONSO ,ROBBIE KEANE ..........

    From Nathalie, on Sat 27 Sep 5:28PM

  17. Hahaha geezis,johnwynes,How old are you,because you're talking like someone who 1 has no buisness being on here,as it is a football page,and 2 you're about 9 years old.
    I support liverpool you dickless feck,and as for people jumping in the "see" its sea you @#$%,and futbal is brazilian.in england its football.why make comments on here that have no basis being here,as for the supporters all being shipped off to iraq,wtf are you going on about,are you trully retarded,maybe people who are clearly racist towards people of all races and creeds.should be sent to iraq,youd do more good taking an insurgants bullet thts would otherwise kill our brave soldiers, rather than being on here slating scousers for being thieves and drug dealers,you eveidently dont get out much ,because thats pretty much the whole country you are talking about,the youths of today have little to inspire them,and people like you just cement there beliefs that this country is @#$%,footballers might be overpaid pri-madonnas but at least they keep their mouths shut about things they know nothing about

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 5:26PM

  18. HIS ARMBAND PROOVED HE WAS A RED...TORRES TORRES
    YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE IT SAID...TORRES TORRES

    From c41ng0ku, on Sat 27 Sep 5:10PM

  19. oooooooooooooo toress roaks everton!!!haha!!!!

    From Bratu, on Sat 27 Sep 4:58PM

  20. The reff had little consequence on this match ,cahill doesnt have the class or the teprement to survive a derby.
    As for comment 26- and 28,how about you die FRANKBROOKESIDE and we all laugh at that,cos you are a waste of oxygen,you sad little pr*ck.
    Comment 26 is just as bad,why the hell should loyal supporters give up their joy in life just so american bankers can carry on fu*cking living it up on other peoples money.
    if you are so dedicated to helping ,why dont you sell all your @#$% and go live on the streets you bumm

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 4:51PM
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