Torres Turns Mersey Divide Into a Widening Gulf

There is a chasm where the Merseyside divide used to be and it exceeds the respective wealth, quality and standing of both sides. While Everton do not know where they are heading as a club, Liverpool are beginning to believe they do. It is, they finally hope, into the mantle of title challengers.

In two demanding weeks Rafael Benítez's men have taken their cherished scalps of Manchester United and their local rivals, the latter with a performance far superior to the gritty display that did for Sir Alex Ferguson at Anfield and with an ease that is becoming the norm whenever they saunter across Stanley Park. The sweat that poured off the Liverpool manager's brow having climbed six flights of stairs to address the press afterwards was a rare show of discomfort in these parts.

Amid the praise rightly bestowed on Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard, Benítez was at pains to highlight the stalemate with Stoke City as a salutary lesson to those who claim Liverpool have eradicated their weaknesses in one summer. It would be foolish to ignore the Spaniard's warning with Liverpool's often torrid winter yet to come but equally remiss to overlook the consistency, confidence and a display against Everton that, should it continue, will place Anfield where it has demanded to be this season - in the mix.

"That was a statement from us as a performance," said Gerrard, denied his 100th Liverpool goal by Tim Howard but whose disciplined, authoritative display was the perfect riposte to his manager's criticism in the corresponding fixture last term. "It was a terrific performance, our best display of the season so far, and it said something about where we are heading. If we can keep playing like that, then we will be right there at the end of the season. It is important not to get carried away because we have to keep repeating that level but if we can do that, then we will be a team to watch."

Torres put the seal on a comfortable Liverpool afternoon with three immaculate finishes - though only two counted - which confirmed his return to form and that, despite his angelic features, he is not a man to rile into action. A booking for dissent saw to that and, 10 minutes later, he wrecked David Moyes' damage-limitation game plan with a volley under Howard from Keane's delicate cross to the far post. Three minutes later, when Everton should simply have closed shop, he was first on the scene to sweep Phil Jagielka's tackle on Dirk Kuyt into the top corner. Again, Keane was instrumental in the build-up.

It is now 10 outings and no goals for Liverpool's £20.3m summer signing and while the drought was reflected in his hesitancy in front of goal, Keane's movement and creativity was simply one problem too many for Everton's generous defence. Consequently Gerrard's role as captain was not confined to the pitch.

"We got in the dressing room and I sat by Robbie and just said, 'You were magnificent'," said the midfielder. "I know Fernando was class and showed how deadly he can be, but Robbie was an equally genuine contender for the man-of-the-match award. His passes for the two goals were from the top draw. Everyone else is talking about Robbie's need to score, but not us. That doesn't matter in the slightest because he has been a match winner for us without scoring."

How Moyes must wish for such trifling problems. The start of a defining week in Everton's season - they face Standard Liège in the Uefa Cup on Thursday - merely entrenched the view that his club are drifting dangerously on and off the pitch. The manager is not entirely blameless, with his despondent demeanor reflected in his players to a greater extent than the delay over his contract.

The late release of transfer funds and even later signings gives Moyes valid reasons for his side's failure to gel but do not excuse Everton's tactics in the 208th Merseyside derby and basic deficiencies. Their main plan of attack against Liverpool centered on set-pieces or hopeful punts towards the woeful Yakubu Ayegbeni, who repeated his theatrical performance from Anfield last season and was booked for an embarrassing dive over Martin Skrtel when a shot beckoned.

Other than Marouane Fellaini - the 6ft 4in record signing who leads into headers with his ear - Everton were consistently wasteful in possession and Mikel Arteta illustrated why Spain continue to overlook his services by again disappearing against a top-four team. A harsh red card for Tim Cahill, seemingly as much for his refusal to approach referee Mike Riley as his foul on Xabi Alonso, could not divert from the gulf on display.

"He knows where he needs to improve," said Rafael Benítez afterwards. How? Does he not get enough leverage on his throw-ins? The Spanish star is clicking into gear.

Man of the match Fernando Torres (Liverpool)

Best moment Torres' best finish was wrongly disallowed and denied him a worthy hat-trick, so it will have to be the second goal he emphatically swept into the top corner.