It’s known as the most volatile tie in the Premiership. But rather than volatility we have seen the eruption of one Fernando Torres, who in the space of three minutes beat his adversary Tim Howard twice with aplomb and a doze of clinical precision. Volatility was brewing up in the first forty-five minutes as the usually cool Torres looked to be frustrated, as the toll of six barren matches on the run seemed to burden his shoulders, questioning most of the ref’s decisions and getting into his book rather than his score-sheet. But this was a different Torres from the one against Stoke. His rust seemed to have been corroded and his touch was different, more natural to the ball, taking on players as always, this time with the added bonus of getting also past them. And rust transcended into slickness, and the net renewed its acquaintance with his shots.

Torres wasn’t the only visibly frustrated red in the first forty-five minutes. But in a day like this, where pride and bragging rights are at stake, and throw-in decisions are vehemently questioned by the under class of Merseyside, it is only expected. The reds were still able to control albeit not dominate the proceedings. Their control, composure and possession superiority took their time to properly penetrate the Everton defense. And it wasn’t muscle which did the eventual trick, but brains and vision. Robbie Keane might be lacking confidence as he still is waiting for breaking his duck but his sublime cross after another intelligent through ball by Xabi Alonso put Torres on a high-chair from where to volley home, and Liverpool on a platform that was needed to confirm Liverpool’s superiority and give the till then abstract advantage a concrete value.

And now after six matches, Liverpool have the concrete tally of fourteen points, two more than this time last year. In such six matches, the reds have won two of the biggest matches the Premiership can offer. It is still obviously still too early to draw any conclusions, but perfect endings have had far worse starts than this. Keane might have put Liverpool on a platform in one particular moment, but I believe this whole start could act as a springboard for the reds to the next few matches, that are all part of the whole season. We have so far confirmed what we already know. The basics are there. Starting from defense, in six matches, Liverpool have kept four clean sheets and letting only two in the remaining two. And Torres has once again confirmed the undoubtable. But sometimes even the converted need preaching.

It was as one sided an affair as a monologue. The monologue though lacked any conviction of a great orator and the speech only rebounded off the walls of the room and never got past it. And throats got sore, lozenges got available in the shape of corners but it was it was like presenting water to a goldfish in an over flown bowl. Twenty of them and hardly one proper treat to break the deadlock off anyone of them. Probably Liverpool did more corners in this match than they did in a whole week at Melwood, if their execution is anything to go by.

Widening a bit the argument though, Steven Gerrard did execute a perfect set-piece as early as the second minute when he curled a beautiful shot in, metres away from the corner flag. But the referee seemed to have taken pity of Stoke and just disallowed the goal apparently for offside. It was a costly mistake as that most important and hard first goal to get was unjustly disallowed. It didn’t seem to bother the reds much then as with eighty-minutes left there was more than ample time to replicate the trick. It just didn’t happen though and two points were lost forever.

The aplomb I was hoping and believing to get in Liverpool’s play never really materialized. The determination was always there but Stoke were equally as determined and defended in double digits. The class of Fernando Torres never shone through, and at the moment the bounce of last year is more of a knee bend. I am not getting too worried about it though. Torres had one busy summer and his latest injury can’t have helped things. He tried to burst through every now and then but that fractional advantage he used to get over his defenders to open up his route to goal has so far alluded him. It is only a matter of time though for the lad to get back to his usual self. Next to him though the situation is getting a bit more worrying as Robbie Keane is still looking for his first goal. He got close at one time yesterday but the breakthrough he probably prays for every single second of the day is still unsighted. With Crewe coming up next Tuesday, it might be the best opportunity for Rafael Benitez to play him and ask the other chosen ten to just simply try to pass the ball to Keane even when through on goal with latter having his back to goal.

It is maybe now ideal for Liverpool to face Everton next in the league when it is determination rather than panache that usually win derbies. A bit of sleekness will still won’t hurt any chances of getting three points at the soon defunct Goodison Park.

It was just M&M’s. And it wasn’t just the chocolate candy. Now we’ve got the Three M’s. Middlesborough, Manchester United and Marseille. All starting with a goal advantage against the reds, only to have it cancelled and eventually overturned. Three in space of three and a half weeks. I don’t think it’s a mere fluke. Talking in three’s, it’s resilience, buoyancy and finally springiness. Not too bad for a side and a manager who some claim lack a Plan B. But yesterday was there the need for a Plan B?

Just as Liverpool conceded, a mate next to me told me he’s not too panicked. I just nodded my agreement. Liverpool kicked off from the middle again. No need for reshuffling, nor big urges from the boss and so on. There were eleven players who were thought the best for the occasion and the goal conceded was just a shot that hit a soldier but never got close to his beating heart. And a mere eight minutes later, the equalizer was secured. Last Saturday, the reds got a magnificent result without the presence of the two main stars of the side – Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. The sheer hard work, team work and depth in the squad made up for the unfortunate loss of both. There was talk that maybe the absence of the two maybe proved providential for Liverpool, as the reds expanded their game more between the eleven rather than narrowing themselves just through these two. Yesterday though was a reminder that along with the hard work, the inspiration such rare ones are capable to provide is a marvel and that their absence last Saturday was only a handicap that Liverpool got through by their adaptability. It was Gerrard’s turn yesterday. Firstly Torres wins the ball in the midfield, advances, passes to Kuyt who in return passes back to his captain. And from outside the penalty area, with a shot seemingly used earlier in a geometry experiment, the captain celebrated and justified the earlier accolade of Liverpool’s best player in Europe voted by the local people for the local paper, The Liverpool Echo.

And then minutes later, from the artistry of that shot, this time he crafted another one from eleven metres, not once but twice. The sound mentality of the captain shone through as he was ordered to re-take the successful penalty kick. He just repeated the same shot to his right with their keeper again diving at the other end. It was Ryan Babbel who won the kick when his change of speed and wicked foot movement committed the Marseilliase defender to bring him down. Earlier on, a lovely turn enabled him to lose his marker but his vociferous shot ended up high above the woodwork. The rapper lookalike seemed on a mission to lose the tag of a super-sub as he proved more than handful to their defence. A brilliant block by their keeper in the dying minutes denied him from his second goal of the season but his performance overall can’t have done his esteem with Rafa any harm.

The second forty-five minutes weren’t the best ever offered by Liverpool. The one goal advantage was threatened every now and then, but eventually the reds went through it. In the green shirt, with no commercial logo, Reina’s chest and presence looked even bigger than usual, as he marshaled his defense superbly, and at the very dying minutes blocked superbly to secure a perfect start on this other European adventure.

The resilience of this Liverpool side has been there for all to see. Stoke at Anfield, might ask for another quality, which after having built such a basis, it is now opportune to enforce further the springiness and free flow more into the creative qualities of this side to get the three points in a different manner. Aplomb can be now coupled with determination.

I used to dream of a team of Carraghers. With the cloning science still in its infancy, the dream faded off like the many other childhood dreams. Yesterday though it came as close as possible, as I saw ten red shirted men doing their utmost to emulate their captain for the day. Aptitude and commitment were in excess yesterday afternoon. Coupled with belief and we got the result that we have craved for so long. The usual insecurity that creeps in players minds and fans alike when we meet these bitter and detestable rivals was nowhere to be seen even though the circumstances seemed to contrive for such symptom to ascend in every red’s mind.

Going down as early as the third minute I was fearing the worst. And that horrible sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach, so abundant in the last confrontation against them last March came back with a vengeance and reminded me of what such a fixture can offer. Gradually though the feeling subsided as the reds got into the match with glimpses of their goal and openings being found at the other end of the pitch. Their much vaunted midfield was finding the going tough as the midfield duo of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso started to exert their influence, ably helped on the sides by both Yossi Benayoun and the debutant Albert Riera. The last time we had a debutant in such fixture, it all ended in frustration, and was in hindsight a sign of things to come as Fernando Morientes struggled, in a match that was lost to a calamitous error at the back. Riera looked nippy, making himself available, eager to take on players and showed quite a few touches that made us that tad more unpredictable on that side of the pitch. The ovation he got when Rafa decided that he did enough for the day was a testament to all this.

And the lad getting on for him didn’t disappoint either. Ryan Babel joined the four sides of the ground as he applauded the Spaniard off while on the line waiting for him. The applause though transcended to sheer euphoria as a mere six minutes later the same Dutchman received the ball from the bye-line through his compatriot and with the coolness of a stoned punter in an Amsterdam coffee shop, he volleyed home.

And that was it for the day. The 2-1 score-line was kept till the very end and the hoodoo of not even scoring against them in our own home was exorcised. Now, with ten points from four games, Liverpool have the best springboard imaginable for the next month to continue building day after day, match after match. Marseille at the Stade Vèlodrome beckons but for the time being the Stoke match is lingering through my mind more persistently. It seems the bread and butter is at the moment more appetizing than the caviar that is European football. Talking about caviar and food, the magnitude of this victory goes up a few notches as Rafa had to bake a formation without his usual two main ingredients that sometimes he is accused of using to simply get him out of jail.

Fernando Torres was only a spectator, albeit from the bench rather than in the Main Stand, whilst Steven Gerrard got in only midway in the second forty-five minutes. The other ingredients though were enough to leave a taste that is as sweet as bee honey exerted from the same bee which stung you earlier on.

The unbeaten start to the season has gone on, the winning start though did stumble at the hurdle represented by Aston Villa in their home ground. It was a case of déjà vu, with the most single episode that summed up Liverpool’s match yesterday being Robbie Keane’s missed chance. With the £18 million tag dangling heavily round his neck, Keane raced on a perfect through ball, but he must have got caught between two minds, ending up slicing the ball horribly wrongly when another more confident striker would have just kept his head down, ignoring that obviously some defenders would be on the case and just tried to get on target. Keane almost distrusted his ability and was giving too much importance to his surroundings when an open goal was at his mercy. And Rafael Benitez in a way has gone the same way too if the substitutions were anything to go by. The forced Torres substitution aside, Rafa put on Aurelio for Kuyt and Benayoun for Keane. Rafa looked happy enough to get a point away from home when Chelsea has also drawn earlier on the day. Babbel was left kicking his heels twice, first when he could have got the chance to play in his favoured striking position instead of the injured Torres and then when Aurelio got the nod ahead of him.

On a more positive note, the defence was again on top of everything thrown at their direction. The partnership between Carragher and Skrtel seems to be blossoming, but that is hardly surprising. Carragher has been able to play with anyone, his single mindedness and enthusiasm for the shirt makes him untouchable. And behind him Reina, amongst other saves, made one very good one over Carew in the first half that could have left the reds chasing the game. Reina’s alertness makes a severe customs official look amiable.

For a change the international break hasn’t come at the worst time possible. It is time to stock up the facts and for Rafa to over analyse the goings on of these three Premiership matches and the Champions League asides. The seven points amassed have been the icing on a rather average cake. The cake has only been on the shop window so far though, and real questions have not been asked. The next match though presents a customer that can be ruthless and is detestable in his own nature.