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. liverpool have the best defense in europe!! the moment­ keane starts scoring as well... it will be the­ quadraple that comes 2 anfiled...

    From abc a, on Sat 27 Sep 4:47PM

  2. frank from brookside , yer bad refereein cos torres­ should of ad a hat trick you stupid blue nosed tw t ­ hurry up n f k o f to kirkby everton your a disgrace­ to tghe cuity of liverpool

    From liverpaul64, on Sat 27 Sep 4:46PM

  3. Y.N.W.A. :)

    From Soggy, on Sat 27 Sep 4:37PM

  4. mike ryley is a @#$%
    he has tried to ruin two of the­ most important games of the season in chelsea-man utd­ and everton-liverpool

    but nevermind brilliant game,­ top of the table

    GET IN!!!!

    From jackoli07, on Sat 27 Sep 4:19PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    CHEATING REFEREE SPOILS ANOTHER GAME AND CHEATING­ LIVERPOOL BENEFIT AGAIN THE DIRTY GROTTY LITTLE WAN***S­ WHY CANT LIVERPOOL FC ALL DIE HORRIBLY AND DO THE WORLD­ A FAVOUR AND GET RID OF THIS SCUMMY TEAM.

    From frank r, on Sat 27 Sep 4:14PM

  6. we did not deserve to win (again!) but im sure you must­ agree it was not a red card tackle?

    From Rachael, on Sat 27 Sep 4:09PM

  7. once again the struggling everton totally outclassed by­ a fantastic Liverpool side that oozed superiority from­ every pore, reduced to late challenges and players sent­ off the everton hyenas could only drool at the elitist­ reds giving them a lesson in how the game should be­ played...drool on blues, you always lose

    From steviecalrow, on Sat 27 Sep 3:40PM

  8. Lescott are you fit.....?? Certainly haven't looked­ it so far this season...Please own up if you­ aren't, you took the place of Baines today who­ could maybe have done better, well at 51, i probably­ could. If you aren't fit, please own up before the­ season is too far gone. And Lescott, Yes i do really­ rate you as a player, i rate all the Everton team, but­ hey supporters please get behind them and help your­ team.
    There is too much shouting out against. And whats­ all the early leaving of the fans­ about....support..support...support.

    From kelly b mr, on Sat 27 Sep 3:37PM

  9. well said p~zen.reds 4ever.

    From Mark, on Sat 27 Sep 3:32PM

  10. well done lfc.looks like they are still the best team­ in liverpool,no suprise there then.well predicted del­ reds piero,hpoe your right every week.

    From Mark, on Sat 27 Sep 3:29PM

  11. What does an Evertonian do after beating Liverpool, He­ turns his Playstation off and goes to­ sleep.......
    Moyes to be sacked and Everton to go­ down....
    Blue @#$%

    From John, on Sat 27 Sep 3:26PM

  12. ****WELL DONE LADS****.
    OK comment 10{swisstern} YOU­ complete wan*er take your dads balls out your mouth,you­ obviously know nothing about football.
    I cant beleive­ you're a true fan,i think you just come on here to­ have a laugh,you're no better than RED manc fans­ who are bitter there team is @#$% this year.
    Heres a­ thing.next time you think of leaving a stupid comment­ ,why not state which team you support,so other fans can­ respond to your silly assed self with better­ clarity,tho your ingenious perception of todays­ game,seems pretty clear[you are an ARSE fan],blinkered­ into thinking 1 result against sheffield united means­ your "young team" will dominate for years to­ come,lol ok you think that people in the real world­ willcarry on thinking we are only 5 games into the­ season,and as for dominating,[liverpool] will allow you­ to dominate the "carling cup" as thats not­ our adgenda,we are after bigger things.and we might­ only be top for a few hours,but we are still top,NOW­ dont slip up,cos we are a far better team this year,as­ THE POOR SIDE OF MANCHESTER found out

    From !, on Sat 27 Sep 3:21PM

  13. keep it up lads

    From Tony, on Sat 27 Sep 3:02PM

  14. keep it up lads

    From Tony, on Sat 27 Sep 3:02PM

  15. Well, another normal match day. Lfc win efc lose. No­ changes there!!!! YNWA

    From Bootlicker54, on Sat 27 Sep 2:58PM

  16. Incidentlly, who's typing up the live matchcast ??­ Either a dope or a red.

    From bigs, on Sat 27 Sep 1:32PM

  17. Everton fan all my life, but I think we'll struggle­ today. The powers that be at Liverpool have always­ pandered to the 'out of town' support 'cos­ it brings in more revenue. I know plenty of season­ ticket holders from the city who HATE the way things­ are run (I know a few more who actually hate the­ 'non-scousers' !!) but the fact remains that­ the out of town support come in like sheep and­ dutifully buy all the merchandise they can get there­ hands on. More money at the tills = more money for­ players. Everton can't compete with that.

    The way­ I see it, you've got Man U/Chelsea then­ Arsenal/Liverpool. I still think Everton are the best­ of the rest though. We've brought a few players in­ and it'll take some time to gel. Fellaini looked­ fantastic against Liverpool for Liege, and Castillo has­ made a good impression on me the few times I've­ seen him. Fingers crossed !!

    From bigs, on Sat 27 Sep 12:48PM

  18. Derby is always hard to predict. I thing they just­ gonna draw

    From imielakonrad, on Sat 27 Sep 2:48AM

  19. liverpool are the kng of merseysde everton ain't­ scoring a goal COME ON REDS
    everton 0-3 LIVERPOOL

    From oloyede.david, on Fri 26 Sep 10:59PM

  20. mad b was smoking crack or at least he tried it when he­ wrote all that stupidness

    From Raphael, on Fri 26 Sep 10:49PM
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