Everton 0, Liverpool 2: Hulking Everton felled by an incredible Torres

Sep 29 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Fernando Torres celebrates a goal _320

HE may not be as tall, as muscular or as green. But Fernando Torres does share one trait with the Incredible Hulk – his adversaries won’t like him when he’s angry.

Everton discovered that to their cost as the Liverpool striker proved the match-winner for the second successive derby to kick-start his season and deepen the gloom surrounding David Moyes’s side.

Having pointed the finger at Mark Clattenberg following last season’s contentious Goodison showdown, Evertonians were again left berating the intervention of the referee.

Not, though, because of any major decisions against their team. Instead, the performance of Mike Riley riled Torres into life and ensured Liverpool’s best-ever start at this stage of a Premier League season.

For the best part of an hour on Saturday, Torres did little to suggest he had shrugged off what Rafael Benitez admitted was a Euro 2008 hangover.

Annoyed at what he perceived as a lack of protection from some dogged Everton defending that denied him even a sniff of adding to his season’s solitary goal, the striker’s frustrations spilled over when he talked himself into a booking five minutes into the second half after a petulant foul.

Fifteen minutes later, however, the game was over, with the only controversy concerning whether Torres should have left the field clutching the matchball. With three goals in two games against Everton, maybe the Spaniard really is becoming the new Ian Rush.

As it was, his two goals inside three minutes were sufficient for Liverpool to answer Benitez’s call to reiterate their championship credentials after the deflating goalless draw against Stoke City the previous week.

Both were thrashed home with unerring accuracy. And both owed much to the contribution of Robbie Keane.

While the Republic of Ireland international is still waiting to get off the mark after making his big-money summer move from Tottenham Hotspur, the signs were there at Goodison that he is becoming attuned to his new team-mates.

None more so than in the 59th minute, when his floated cross dropped perfectly for Torres to emphatically volley home the opener.

Keane was similarly instrumental three minutes later, exchanging passes with Dirk Kuyt outside the Everton penalty area to give the Dutchman a clear opening from which Phil Jagielka’s excellent sliding challenge fell invitingly for Torres to smash beyond Tim Howard.