Although Nemanja Vidic, mindful of his nightmare at Old Trafford last March, was clearly intimidated by Torres, a cautious Rio Ferdinand was seemingly content to let his team-mate take responsibility for the striker.

And both were caught out as Liverpool landed the first blow on 65 minutes, Torres racing in behind Vidic on to a Yossi Benayoun pass and showing strength to hold off Ferdinand before firing a rising shot beyond van der Sar from eight yards.

Benayoun has emerged as a major creative force during this calendar year, and his constant probing always appeared the most likely route to a goal for Liverpool.

Vidic’s misery, meanwhile, was made complete in the 89th minute when he was dismissed for the third successive time in this fixture for hauling down Dirk Kuyt.

Few could argue with the final outcome. Benitez’s men created the better chances and even Sir Alex Ferguson was magnanimous enough to admit a strangely subdued United were deservedly vanquished.

The tone had been set during a first half in which Liverpool were in the ascendancy. Fabio Aurelio, a goalscorer in the historic 4-1 win at United last season, came close to repeating his heroics when curling a fine 25-yard free-kick that van der Sar clawed out from underneath his crossbar before blocking Kuyt’s angled follow-up.

Kuyt then spurned a clear opening when shooting across the face of goal after being released by Lucas before Aurelio, having played a diagonal pass out to Benayoun on the right flank, sprinted 35 yards to meet the Israeli’s cross but sent his free header too close to van der Sar.

Other than a Wayne Rooney header that was clutched by Pepe Reina, United offered little in the final third but finally began to threaten once Torres put Liverpool ahead.

Substitute Nani curled weakly at Reina before Valencia, United’s chief danger, struck the crossbar from an acute angle.

But the pressing need of the visitors played straight into Liverpool’s hands and, with gaping holes appearing in 10-man United’s defence during injury time, Lucas released substitute David Ngog to slot past van der Sar and prompt a release of joy from the home crowd and Reina, who raced the full length of the field to celebrate.

Those fans will hope the season starts here. For Benitez and his players, it has to.