I thought it was the white shirt that made Nando look so terrific the other week against West Ham. It seems I was a bit naïve. Or is it forgetfulness? As yesterday, in the tried, trusted and Liverpool’s red Nando looked equally mesmerizing. And it was a reminder that at Anfield, Torres has notched 33 goals in 34 games. Beat that. As much as the grass might look greener at the other end, Fernando surely knows where his home is. And it seems that he can’t get enough of this cathedral of football. For all their lies and blasphemies, something good is coming out of the Hicks and Gillett tenure. We’ve still got years to play at Anfield and Torres is definitely rubbing his hands with his childish grin.

And it’s not just his grin which looks childish. Yesterday he reminded me of an over-age kid running in the park rounding kids and scoring, care-free, oblivious to all the world’s ills. You might say he was devastating. I think it’s too harsh a word for such a sublime and graceful performance. He was a reminder of Da Vinci’s quote: ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’. He made football look so easy. I found myself thinking yes I could do that, but I still can’t find any explanation that actually no I can’t do that. The simple answer for such an absurd question is that there is no explanation to naturalness. That is what Torres is. A natural footballer. A natural striker. A natural. Benitez has undoubtedly raised his game. Anfield unmistakably provides the ideal stage. Steven Gerrard unquestionably feeds him the most exquisitely weighted passes into his feet or simply into his space. But really they are simply the bees carrying the pollen on a beautiful wild flower.

Benitez pragmatic as ever subbed Torres after just 67 minutes. That’s all he needed for a hat-trick. With a trip to Florence in three days looming, and a three goal advantage it was understandable. Or maybe for all his ruthlessness, Benitez must have felt for his fellow professional Phil Brown and spared him.

Torres apart, the first forty-five minutes were a rather even contest. Hull had a decent go at Liverpool and with just one goal separating them I was thinking Liverpool will have to work hard for their money. Soon enough though Torres put paid for that, and then Gerrard’s cross-shot reminded us that the wind is surely on Liverpool’s side.

The men in red, particularly the offensive ones are surely making the most of the familiarity of Anfield’s sleek green grass. There was a lot of talk about the defense being too prone particularly in set-pieces. But at the other end of the pitch the men in red are surely producing and entertaining. For a side with a supposedly defensive and too pragmatic manager, the hacks are surely having their work cut out. In four matches, Liverpool have now scored 15. Since Aston Villa called at Anfield back in March, the reds have scored 34 in 9. The continuity can be touched and felt, and the scoreless draws that hurt Liverpool so much feel very distant.

Yesterday’s goal by Geovanni was a simple blotch on an otherwise free-flowing performance. The defense does not worry me that much. There have been talks in the past about a supposed crisis in the Liverpool back four, but time and again the back four and Reina have stood up to be counted. The goals against figure has always proved to be on the very mean side by the end of the season. It is as fickle to worry about the defense as much as it was to worry about a rather rusty Torres at the start of the season.

Back in 1964, Bill Shankly opted for an all-red strip for his men. He thought it made them look bigger. And since then like most of Shankly’s thinking and mantras it still stands. Upton Park and the maroon shirt of West Ham forces Liverpool into the second strip. Second strips are just a money making exercise in today’s world of football and the colour and design changes from year to year. It has changed from gold to awful green to inky black to sitting-on-the-wall grey and to the occasional yet the traditional away white. And Senor Torres along with his team-mates had to wear his white socks, black shorts and a white shirt. And there’s something about white. White might remind Torres of his hated rivals Real Madrid, but you’ve got to admit there’s something about him in white. Before turning too gayish, he looked leaner, slickier and well polished. You’d think give him the ball on the green and he’ll swagger past them. And that was before kick-off.

Twenty minutes into the game, he confirmed all this and more. Given the ball while still outside the box and in a rather lateral position, he reminded me of his first goal at Anfield against Chelsea. This time it was probably better as he waltzed between more than one Ben Haim, but a couple of them and with the goal still on his side rather than in front he still prodded the ball through. 1-0 for Liverpool. Not too long ago that would have been the three points all but wrapped.

These days, the forwards or better the forward will still have a lot to do as the wrapping is not usually done till the credit card has been swiped and made sure there are available funds. The back four particularly the central ones looked vulnerable from the very first minute. Carragher has been the heart and soul of Liverpool for years. But the usual and dependent beat is sometimes missing the rhythm. With barely a minute on the clock his hesitancy on the ball allowed Hines the goal at his mercy. The pole let Carra off but the man in black was not as provident on the half-hour mark as his tug on the same lad propelled him to point to the penalty-spot from where the Italian Diamanti obliged.

The end to end stuff carried on after that as a Benayoun corner was headed by the captain in the path of Kuyt who with his striking instincts once again intact faintly poked in. Again that was not even enough for a half-time break with a leg in front as a corner at the other end was headed in by Cole.

The second forty-five minutes lacked the vibrancy of the first. Uncharacteristically while away from Anfield, Benitez took Kuyt off and asked Babel to turn the latter’s trade into craftiness. This time, he did not disappoint and he made his presence felt, while finally making it all happening as a delightful cross on Torres head was deposited into the net.

This time the deposit made it into the iron safe and the three points were never questioned.

The hundredth victory in the European Cup, now ramatazzed as the Champions League has been recorded yesterday at Anfield. It was devoid of the usual drama that is associated with European nights at this old sanctuary of football through terraced streets. There was only one goal recorded, clusters of empty seats were evident, and the opponents on the occasion were known and fearful as much as a random puppy at a vet’s waiting room.

Anfield though recognises that a match of football can only take place when there are Liverpool and an opponent. And while there was no fear, respect was duly granted to the Hungarians Debreceni.

For the first time since UEFA or even better the very rich clubs of Europe decided to introduce group stages in the early rounds of the Champions League, a Hungarian side made it to this stage. Champions of the likes of Hungary, Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic made way to runners-up, third placed and fourth-placed sides from bigger and economically stronger leagues in Europe. UEFA trumpets loudly the whole anthem of ‘Fair Play’ but it lacks the knowledge of one single note of ‘Fair Trade’. Michel Platini seems to be changing the tunes and his legislation so far is giving champions of their own countries a better chance to experience the top echelons of European football and dip their fingers in the honey pot something like the Champions League can offer. It is also a stark reminder that football is what it is thanks to its simplicity and the global appeal that it holds through the four corners of the world rather than being a sport practised by a very select number of countries that probably have their colonizers as their common ground. And the Champions League should be a platform for a more extensive geographical and economic standings. Football is inclusive not exclusive.

And Debreceni offered a very good opposition. They defended as you would expect but they never parked the proverbial bus in front of the goal. I was half expecting a 4-0 drubbing like Burnley got, but Debreceni proved to be sterner while at the same time more creative. Dirk Kuyt proved that for all the time he spent working his legs off on the right flank, his striking instincts have not deserted him as for the second time in a couple of days he followed a team-mate’s shot, this time Torres and finished well. More than a case of finishing it was more a case of being at the right place at the right time like all good strikers do.

All the great European times started against FK Rejkjavik. Yesterday was a reminder of all that. Away from big names and the big money lie romanticism. It is something the likes of Hicks and Gillett will never fathom.

Four goals at home and a clean sheet. It feels like what the doctor has ordered, but upfront Liverpool were more operating with the precision of a surgeon as for the second time in three matches they managed to score four. Liverpool did have the precision of a surgeon which showed no mercy to the hopefuls and early risers Burnley, but as usual with Liverpool that was just one part of the story. Coupled with the precision, there was a player in the thick of it that graced the green, green grass of Anfield, and it was his sweet movements of his feet that opened it all for the three points and the three more goals that were to follow. It is easy to wax lyrical about a hat-trick scorer, but there’s something about Yossi Benayoun that’s hard not to warm to. And rather of hospitals, he reminds me of a spa resort where a few touches by the masseur can relax your whole body and relieve the strain and stress.

With Javier Mascherano omitted from the squad while he’s still in the South of America, the boss had to subtly reshuffle the offensive formation. Steven Gerrard was dropped a bit behind, and Benayoun, rather than out wide found himself in the hole just off Torres’ shoulders. And he didn’t let such a rare chance to play there go by, and simply linked perfectly well with any red shirt in his vicinity. You could tell there was a certain bout of confidence running through the side as back heels were the order of the day. Albert Riera on the left side of the pitch helped the cause in his own way and a kind of chemistry between him and the man of the match was conspicuous, especially considering this was a rare occasion of them two starting together.

Martin Skrtel had a couple of lapses earlier on but Jamie Carragher made sure to cover up for him, and while admittedly he was rarely tested, yesterday the latter had his finest performance this season, looked more confident without trying to outdo himself and hopefully he has buried some of his ghosts that his 31 year mark seemed to have brought on his soul. Corners were easily dealt with the second clean-sheet of the season was claimed as if a birth-right.

The international break for once worked in Liverpool’s favour, and with the momentum on Liverpool’s side it is nice to know that another break won’t be due for another few weeks. The Hungarians Debreceni are next in the Champions League. It is nice and romantic to see hardly known names coming back to Anfield in a European competition. While all respect should be shown to these Magyars, it’s a glorious opportunity for the offensive formation to glue up more and prepare themselves further to the forthcoming trip at Upton Park.