Alberto Aquilani
Two minutes later, Liverpool doubled their lead.
With Portsmouth all over the place at the back, Torres was able to pull back to Babel from the byline. With time to pick his spot, the Dutchman rolled his shot into the bottom corner.
Aquilani then grabbed his first goal for the club. Torres was again the provider, backheeling into the area from near the byline again. Gerrard's dummy allowed Aquilani to finish well into the bottom corner in front of the Kop.
Torres came within an inch of making it four when he saw his shot from the left hit the base of the far upright.
Liverpool started the second half as they ended the first.
Five minutes in, Gerrard forced a save from Ashdown at his near post shortly before Babel saw a side-footed effort from the edge of the area rattle the crossbar.
A rare burst forward by Portsmouth saw Liverpool carved open down the right. From being a virtual spectator, Pepe Reina pulled off a fine save from Brown to keep the visitor’s at bay.
Maxi then went close from 20 yards, dragging his shot wide.
The clearest penalty shout of the night was again ignored when Nadir Belhadj took Glen Johnson’s feet away in the 66th minute.
By now Liverpool were coasting while Portsmouth were playing for pride.
Martin Kelly replaced Johnson with 20 minutes to go, the youngster slotting in at right-back.
Within minutes, Kelly was foraging down the wing as Liverpool went in search of a fourth.
It came in the 77th minute by way of Torres’ second of the night.
A perfectly weighted pass from Aquilani found the Spaniard inside the area who skipped inside his marker to execute a shot inside the near post.
Reina was denied the opportunity to record his 13th shut-out of the season when Belhadj grabbed a consolation with two minutes remaining.
It was his cross that found Frederic Piquionne at the back post. The Frenchman volleyed back across the six yard box to Belhadj who guided the ball inside the post.
Reina then saved low to his left from Piquionne as Pompey mustered a late charge but the game had long since been won.
The win sees Liverpool leapfrog Manchester City into fifth place, a point ahead of their rivals who have two games in hand.
