Everton 0 Liverpool 2:Fernando Torres looked a shadow of his former self in the first half against Everton but emerged after the break to hammer home a quick-fire brace and give Liverpool a deserved derby win in an otherwise scrappy game at Goodison Park.

Torres had not scored a league goal since earning Liverpool an away win at Sunderland on the opening day of the season and he looked more likely to be sent off than hit the net for much of this game.

Looking frustrated with the physical treatment being meted out to him be Joseph Yobo, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott in the first half, he repeatedly remonstrated with referee Mike Riley, whose fussy display served only to stifle the contest and culminated in an unwarranted dismissal of Everton midfielder Tim Cahill.

After the break Torres' first real contribution was to kick out at Lescott in frustration and earn himself a yellow card, but then came the opener that not only lifted the weight from his shoulders but owed much to the work of Liverpool's other misfiring striker Robbie Keane.

The Republic of Ireland captain has yet to score for his new club since his big money move but his beautifully clipped cross to the back post was expertly finished by the Spaniard in the 59th minute.

Three minutes later he contributed again when his cheeky pass found Dirk Kuyt. Just yards from goal, the Dutchman was well tackled by Jagielka before he could pull the trigger, but the ball dropped to Torres who hit the roof of the net with an emphatic finish.

Kuyt hit the net minutes later but the ball was ruled to have gone out for a corner. From the set-piece Riley penalised the Dutch international for an infringement on Lescott, denying Torres a hat-trick in the process after the striker controlled the cross and rifled home his third

Cahill was incensed by an Alvara Arbeloa tackle that earned the Liverpool full-back a yellow card but in exacting his own retribution on the unfortunate Xabi Alonso minutes later, he was deemed to have overstepped the mark by Riley and dismissed.

Louis Saha, on as a substitute for Tony Hibbert in the 65th minute, rifled a shot past Pepe Reina's post a minute from the death but the fact that the Spaniard had not made a save all day was proof enough that it belonged to Liverpool and, in particular Torres, who showed enough after the break to suggest his season may be just beginning.