THE last time Fernando Torres visited Villa Park, he left the pitch clutching his hamstring to signal the start of an 18-month battle with persistent injury.

Last night, however, the Spaniard returned to the Midlands to help resuscitate both Liverpool's ailing Premier League campaign and his own spluttering form.

Torres struck in the third minute of injury time to give Rafael Benitez's side their first back-to-back league victories since September and provide a welcome boost to their hopes of Champions League qualification.

It meant the striker reached 50 league goals in his 72nd appearance, quicker than any other player in Liverpool's history.

But of more immediate concern will be the positive impact this triumph will surely have heading into the New Year after a tumultuous first half to the season.

How Liverpool needed this victory, only their second against teams in the top half of the table. And how Torres needed his goal.

His season hampered by a recurring groin problem, the Spaniard has often cut a frustrated figure at his inability to fully contribute as the Anfield outfit have lurched from one disappointment to the next.

There was little change for much of the proceedings last night, Torres given intermittent service and well shackled by Villa centre-backs Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar.

Then came the dramatic denouement. The build-up may have been a calamity for Villa – Stephen Warnock gifting possession to Dirk Kuyt and Gabriel Agbonlahor's subsequent challenge on Yossi Benayoun putting the Liverpool striker clear – but the clinical sidefooted finish was trademark Torres.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill bemoaned his team's misfortune afterwards, but Liverpool deserved victory for showing the greater desire to win what was an absorbing if rarely enthralling encounter hardly helped by the wintry conditions.

A second successive clean sheet – only their seventh in 20 league games this season – was another reason for encouragement, centre-backs Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger excelling up against the pace of Agbonlahor and power of John Carew.

But even they were outshone by Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper in outstanding form, the pinnacle of which was an excellent save to repel Stewart Downing's blistering first-half volley.

Liverpool are now unbeaten in their last 12 visits to Villa Park. Indeed, their early-season loss was only the second in the last 22 meetings between the sides in all competitions, with the Anfield outfit having now taken more Premier League points off Villa than any other opposition.