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.