Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premiership, again away from home. It seems that last year’s Achilles heel has been well healed, as Rafa’s men have now won three out of four matches. Considering that Liverpool only got six wins in eighteen matches last season, this is quite an encouraging feat. The travelling sickness is at the moment well taken care of, the mode of transport to away grounds probably doing the whole trick.

This was though the hardest and most suffering win of the season. Admittedly, some hard decisions going against Liverpool earlier this season have been rather evened out yesterday at the JJB Stadium. Liverpool benefited from the vague and ambiguous interpretation of the off-side rule twice. Firstly in the first half when, Carragher tripped Aghahowa. Another Wigan player was though lurking in the penalty area in an off-side position and thus Carra was let off. Then in the second half, Bent volleyed past Reina but again a team mate was lurking in an off-side position.

For the first time this season a substitute made the whole difference between a disappointing draw and a priceless three points. When Liverpool were forcing themselves aggressively over Wigan, it was the silky and sleek fresh Benayoun who got in for Aurelio some twenty minutes earlier that did it for Liverpool. Mascherano won a ball in the midfield and passed over to Pennant. Pennant threaded a pass to the Israeli. With his back to goal, Yossi accepted the ball, back heeled it while turning himself, lost his defender, and then again wrong footed Bramble. In the next split second he sent Kirkland the wrong way and just coolly placed the ball into the net. If that wasn’t poetry in motion it was definitely a sonnet.

If the league is our bread and butter, and Liverpool were going through a famine in the goals scored department, Benayoun produced a jar full of marmalade to be enjoyed thoroughly. Torres was doing his bit earlier to end all this called hunger, at one time even in a spectacular way as he scissor kicked a cross by Arbeloa. Rafa kept his cards very close to his chest after the Spaniard’s hat-trick earlier the week and tried to seed doubts in everyone’s mind whether Torres would start. Eventually common sense prevailed, and once again El Nino shot fear in his opposing defenders legs, frayed their nerves and got surrounded by them all the time he received the ball.

In the meantime, the French Marseille awaits in the Champions League. Looking further than that, it will be Tottenham who will be hosted at Anfield, before another international break. While away from home, Liverpool seems to have addressed most of last year’s deficiencies, last year’s positive record is to be resurrected, with only one win so far. The basics cannot be forsaken.

After three disappointing performances in what we class our bread and butter, and caviar respectively, Liverpool excelled in what you can call the side plate. There were no frills and some ingredients which you do not expect in the main course were rightly given a chance, others you expect in the very main plate week in week out were surprisingly chosen for this side plate. They did not disappoint and stood out. Maybe the chef has been too stubborn in omitting such an important ingredient a couple of days before for the main course. But some geniuses are hard to fathom and understand. Maybe we have to read between the lines more. Football is a simple game but sometimes it is poetry and in the latter there is only a fine line between absurd and genial.

Yossi Benayoun opened his goal scoring account at Liverpool in a flamboyant matter, albeit on a side show rather than a main stage. He picked up a loose ball, took a Royal defender one on one, threaded the ball through his legs, and free from his defender and inside their penalty area he unleashed a powerful shot that only the net could stop.

The advantage was short-lived as for the first time this season Liverpool conceded from open play. The goal minded by Itandje for the first time and Arbeloa partnering the nailed on fixture at the centre back Carragher, succumbed to a volley by Convey after a poor clearance from a corner.

And then the second half started. And the second forty-five minutes belong to one Fernando Torres. With the second half just five minutes old, El Nino accepted a delightful through pass by the Argentinian Leto, and coolly placed the ball past their keeper Federici and into the right hand corner of the net.

Later Riise came in for Aurelio. A couple of seconds later, Riise found himself marauding the left flank, and pretty easily he nut-megged his opponent. Finding himself in one of the corners of the penalty area, he got presented the opportunity to pass to the Spaniard to make something happen. Riise took the easy option and Torres just side footed the ball into the right hand corner of the net.

Then Gerrard received the ball in the middle of the pitch. Like Riise he took the easy option as he passed to Torres again. Timing his run to perfection, beating the offside trap on the way, he just maneuvered himself in the open space and when one on one with the keeper there was only going to be one winner as he went round him and placed the ball into the net.

In the meantime after Torres first goal, Reading drew level for the second time. Again from a corner, the unfamiliar defence hesitated and lacked its usual assertiveness. Halls profited from that and poked the ball into the net.

The night all belonged to Torres. He glided through defenders, made things happen, shot fear in their defenders legs, created space for himself and scored a hat-trick. It is only a side show, but one show which deserves the main plaudits. You can never second guess the likes of Rafa, but I wager my sanity on a starting line-up for Nando next Saturday against Wigan.

It is only one cheeky bet you might argue, but I also risk a tenner on a match-winner by Torres.

A brilliant start by Liverpool in the Premier League is now relegated to a good start. Liverpool for the second time running fired a blank, and offered a performance that at best could be described as bleak, and more fittingly as frustrating and toothless. Last week’s failings against Portsmouth and last season’s limitations arose to the fore again, frustrating the reds on the pitch, the management and every red.

Rafa Benitez’s tinkering and squad rotation is expected and accepted up to a certain point. It is the new emperor’s clothes you might argue but the omission of Fernando Torres from the starting line-up still was taken badly and baffled many a red. Against a quite modest side like Birmingham who will value one point at Anfield as one priceless point rather than two lost, it will be the silky play and unpredictability of such players who will make all the difference and the thirty minutes cameo of the Spaniard proved that the first hour he spent on the bench were absolutely wasted, and the opposing Steve Bruce had every right to count his lucky stars when learning that El Nino is not starting and stretching his side.

Lately, Liverpool’s play have been rather strange. The first forty-five minutes against Porto in particular showed a jaded side to say the least, as I haven’t seen Liverpool getting outplayed in that way for a pretty long time. There is a certain lack of cohesion in the side and this late form really looks pale when compared to the early displays of Liverpool. The current form of Steven Gerrard may be one of the main reasons for this, Steven Gerrard at the minute looks tame when compared to the hungry and ‘I want it all’ attitude shown in the first couple of matches. Jermaine Pennant looks more like the early version of himself rather than the man-of-the-match version in the European Cup Final. I was expecting a great performance from him against Portsmouth, considering he had a lot of time at Melwood, rather than travelling around Europe on international duty. He disappointed on the day but a below par display was accepted after the early rich form and contribution. Against Porto though he again suffered, got frustrated, accepted their provocation and had an early shower leaving his mates weathering the tide of Porto attacks with a man handicap. Against his old team, he again never got going and never really offered the much needed width in Liverpool’s play to test Birmingham’s boundaries and subsequently their keeper Mark Taylor. That was the most disappointing aspect of the whole afternoon.

Maybe I am looking too much in detail, but it seems that Pako Ayestran’s services are getting quite missed now. The first time he was not on the bench next to Rafa, it was against Derby County and we all know the outcome of that. Probably though with him leaving only the day or so before, Liverpool were still bearing the fruit of his work. It must have a big row as the two have been working together for more than ten years, and the silence on it all has been too anomalous for my liking, a bit like a vintage wine served in a plastic cup. The work of such assistants can be easily underestimated and like Hamann used to be, only noticed with their absence.

Tomorrow, the reds will be travelling down South to the Madjeski Stadium to face Reading in the League Cup. The outcome of it all will not be too saying much about the current dip in form as the boss is expected to chop, rotate and give young lads their rare chance. The proper chance to announce that Liverpool are back will be next Saturday at Wigan away at the JJB Stadium. In the meantime we enjoy tomorrow’s clash as a side show.

Bill Shankly used to call the league our bread and butter. So that probably makes European football as caviar. And I don’t need to say much about the relationship between Liverpool and European football, as there is not much which hasn’t already been said. This season though, the main focus has been on the league title. After two finals in the Champions League but no serious challenge to the title, the European talk has been put rather aside. And if anything, there seemed to be a serious lack of focus by the mighty reds especially in the first sixteen minutes.

A penalty conceded is now getting a routine, as much as a story by a Liverpudlian on a European night in a way. What was unfamiliar though, is that there can be no complaints about it. This time rather than baffling, it was clear and one of the easiest decisions Mr Lubos Michel had to take. This was no Luis Garcia shot in a semi-final at Anfield which a certain manager is still raising qualms about. The Porto lad outpaced Sami Hyypia, Pepe Reina rushed off his line, got rounded by his opponent and rather than the ball, Pepe got his legs. And then a certain Gonzalez just hit the ball from the penalty spot and opened the score for Porto.

Till then Liverpool were all over the place. The 1-0 score line did not flatter Porto by any way. It was the least they deserved. But on the seventeenth minute, Liverpool showed their European credentials. Fernando Torres won a free-kick, a couple of metres away from the half-way line. Steve Finnan took charge, swung a deep cross, the veteran Finn Sami Hyypia connected with and Dirk Kuyt then directed into the net to level the score.

Porto in some ways looked like Liverpool do a lot of times. A lot of possession, a lot of corners, a lot of attempts but still not enough for an important win. What was different, was a lot of showboating and very good wingers. Last night Liverpool were just efficient and got away with a creditable draw which was even more commendable after Jermaine Pennant’s red card. The lad has been quite on form so far, but the yellow cards have been as constant. His red card was as expected as much as Porto’s first goal. Hopefully the lad will learn from it.

Fabio Aurelio made his comeback after some six months on the sidelines after a terrible injury at Eindhoven. The recoveries seem to be getting on track, and after a draw at Fratton Park, a home tie against Birmingham City should only serve for Liverpool to get back on the winning track.

Supposedly on a high after the six-nil rout over Derby County, Liverpool travelled down South to Fratton Park to further test their title challenge. Talk of serious announcement as genuine title contenders was rife in the press and Rafa Benitez seemed to have used this carrot to motivate his players. It seemed that Rafa Benitez had to use the press mostly to get his message across his troops as being an international week, Rafa was left with a sparse Melwood.

Fratton Park and Portsmouth aren’t the most glamorous of species in the Premiership but nevertheless they have been an integral part of the Premiership for the last few years and offer another type of challenge to high-flying teams.

At the end of the ninety minutes, the announcement by Liverpool was rather mute and got postponed. It seems that for this week talk about Liverpool will be overshadowed by Wenger’s men as after losing their main star Thierry Henry, they have got on with life and definitely still look as good as any of the other title challengers.

Rafael Benitez has also omitted his two biggest stars on the bench, and changed five players from a side that scored six past Derby County only a fortnight ago. Rafael wanted fresh legs and hunger over experience and flamboyance. The fresh and hungry lads held the upper hand in the first twenty minutes or so and worked the opposing keeper and old boy David James a couple of times. Portsmouth looked to squander their possession as a drunker sailor and like a wise barman Liverpool made the most of it till the edge of their penalty area.

As the first half grew on though, Liverpool seemed to fizzle and were faced with a familiar very dubious penalty decision against them. A high flying side, scoring eleven goals in five matches, conceding three penalties in fiver matches, with none awarded defies logic, but it seems common sense is not so common nowadays. Or else we are going through a phase of challenging Isaac Newton’s theories.

Pepe Reina was more than up for the task set up by Mr Riley, and defied Kanu’s shot from the penalty spot. In a scoreless draw which could have gone either way, the Spaniard made himself look big and his job easy. He is yet to be beaten from open play so far, and yesterday he commanded his area admirably and was my man of the match.

The two main stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres entered the pitch midway of the second half and their class could have stole it for the reds but the latter was high and wide after a sublime pass by the former. Afterwards, Andriy Voronin who has before hit the crossbar after trying to lob David James, was a second late to Nando’s cross after El Nino brilliantly created space for himself.

Still, Liverpool can’t feel hard done by. Whilst the loud announcement has not been made, this day qualifies as a decent work’s day. In the meantime, and with Porto away only next Tuesday, Liverpool will continue their work in their preferred quiet way.

It all started on a sombre but poignant note. Anfield paid its respects to a lad aged eleven, someone's baby and world who got inexplicably shot. And for all the recent degrading rivalry between red and blue, everyone rose above the pettiness of it all, respected the first time Z-Cars tune at Anfield and applauded the memory of Rhys Jones for one minute, who probably deep down, in his eleven year old mind agreed with Bill Shankly's philosophy of football being more important than life and death. The emotional aura of Anfield rose again to the fore. Football in Merseyside again soothed the pains of one extraordinary tragedy, and Rafael Benitez humbled by it all hugged Rhys's mum and probably thought of his two daughters rather than tactics.
Befittingly Liverpool gave another good footballing display as Toulouse were swept aside without breaking much sweat, the 4-0 scoreline not flattering the redmen in the slightest. Toulouse weren't a stern test, for some reason I thought of them as the French Wigan. They come from a rugby town where so much unlike in Liverpool, football is only secondary, been on the blocks only recently and wear blue and white. And for all that they looked more like last season's Wigan who avoided the drop on the very last day rather than in the season before when they were the surprise package.
What made it all pleasing though was the way, Liverpool's side has been rotated and reshuffled but looked as slick as ever. Sebastian Leto had his official debut, while Yossi Benayoun had his Anfield debut. Peter Crouch was called again and answered by getting the opener as his long leg made it possible for him to get on Dirk Kuyt's cross and direct into the net. Sami Hyypia, sporting the captain's armband again at Gerrad and Carragher's absence made it two, connecting well with Yossi Benayoun's corner as he looked to have the freedom of the whole city. And that's one thing you still can't afford to give the loyal Finn as punish you he will.
With Champions League football all assured, it was time for the Brazilian Lucas Leiva's debut. Dirk Kuyt then broke his duck this season. He has been all over the place as always, breaking sweat for the cause but upfront he only got close. The crossbar eluded his first goal, but some minutes later, his hard work and persistence prevailed as after a clever Babel pass he found the net through the post. Three minutes later, he was the recipient of a Benayoun pass and got to the ball before the opposing keeper to direct into the net again, and a lot of weight was taken off his shoulders.

* * * * *

Liverpool waited till the sixth match last season to get on ten points. This time round, Liverpool only took four matches to get on the same tally. And for the first time under Rafael Benitez, Liverpool find themselves on top of the league. 'It's too early to talk about being on top of the league', mused Rafa. And the pragmatic boss is right. But am sure that deep down he's made up as any of us. His sides were a lot of times considered as rather dry but try justify that after seeing his side put six without response past Derby County. The much talked about and needed 'good start' is now materialising and the redmen are definitely on the right track. Not only that, they are rolling freely, with any kind of shackles truly shaken and good enough to not miss the injured Scouse duo of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. And to omit Peter Crouch from the bench.
It took the reds twenty-six minutes to break the ice, this time through Alonso, surprisingly enough not from his own half, but not too far off it either! Then Ryan Babel broke his personal ice, and scored probably the most picturesque goal of the lot. Picking a pass from the Arbeloa, he dropped his shoulder, left two defenders on their arses and with a powerful shot he picked the far corner of the net with the keeper diving at the other end.
Fernando Torres then got Liverpool's third. Javier Mascherano slid to steal the ball and pass to the Spaniard. Torres used his pace and danced past a couple of looking Derby defenders and slid the ball into the net. He got his second and Liverpool's sixth as he pounced on a poor back-pass and rounded the keeper. You might argue that's what you get for twenty-four million but in the meantime the free Andriy Voronin found the net again as was at the end of a rebound after a Kuyt shot. Sandwiched between the two strikers goals, the midfield maestro Xabi Alonso found the net too when rather than a blatant penalty, after a two legged tackle on Yossi Benayoun, the Basque sidefooted the ball at Stephen Bywater's left.
The appetite was whetted the Tuesday before by four goals, but yesterday the reds just devoured almost every chance. It is a bit annoying knowing that Liverpool will be out of action for a fortnight due to an international break but being in a good mood and seeing the proverbial glass half full, it will be welcomed by both Carra and Gerrard so as not to miss any more matches. Still the reds will be missed.