Red master: Torres hits hat-trick to put Liverpool in top four

The Spain striker grabbed a devastating hat-trick last night to dismiss West Ham and it seems more incredible with every match that the leading clubs in the Barclays Premier League looked at him for three seasons at Atletico Madrid and decided not to buy.

Even accounting for the talents of Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor, Torres — with 24 goals behind him already — is the country's most fearsome forward.

One leading manager opined before the season that Torres was not a natural goalscorer. Well, he has debunked that claim during a debut English season that promised so much and has delivered even more.

While Liverpool have been disappointing and sporadic, Torres has been consistently dangerous and last night was a case in point.

Having recovered from a stomach bug just in time to play, he scored three predatory goals to help Liverpool move back above Everton into fourth spot.

Torres also struck the inside of the post with a stooping header in the 66th minute and tried to beat West Ham keeper Robert Green from just inside his own half. Had he then turned water into wine it would have surprised nobody at Anfield.

This was a classic No 9's performance from a 23-year-old fully suited to the jersey and his opening goal said much about his approach to the game.

Torres should have scored in the seventh minute, heading over after Dirk Kuyt had directed a deep cross back towards him.

It was a bad miss but the best forwards do not dwell on wasted opportunities. They just wait for the next one.

On this occasion it arrived just 60 seconds later and — cool as you like — Torres took it. Once again Kuyt provided the assist but there was still plenty to do when the Dutchman's low cross arrived.

Torres could have chosen to take a touch, with the ball arriving at quite a pace. But such is his confidence that he chose to divert the ball first time with his right foot.

His shot found Green's righthand corner before the keeper had a chance to move, never mind consider stopping it.

For Torres it all looked routine. For Liverpool — so badly in need of confidence and League points — it was so very important. Benitez's team have struggled at times against moderate opposition this season.

As well as the numbing FA Cup defeat here to Barnsley, Liverpool have also dropped home points against Birmingham, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wigan. Needing a win so desperately, this had to be a night when the Liverpool team that is so destructive in Europe showed for domestic duty.

Certainly, that need was reflected in Benitez's team selection — Torres was joined by Steven Gerrard, Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Xabi Alonso in the team — and by the way Liverpool set about their evening's work.

What they could not find for some time, however, was the second goal Benitez has described as so important to his team's sense of calm. As the hour mark approached, they were beginning to get edgy.

There had been half chances in the 37 minutes that followed Torres's goal but only one real scare for West Ham — Green saving low to his right from Gerrard just before half-time. Torres, however, had been a persistent menace and the game moved decisively Liverpool's way in the 61st minute.

West Ham slackness left him unmarked six yards from goal and he headed another Kuyt cross into the top corner at the Kop end. From that point, it was merely a matter of how many Liverpool — and their star man — would score.

West Ham's travelling fans tore into their manager Alan Curbishley with chants of 'You don't know what you're doing' and Liverpool were equally cruel in their treatment of the away team.

The header that Torres diverted on to the inside of the far post from Gerrard's cross with 24 minutes left was one of the moments of the match and an instant that suggested the Spaniard is developing a little of a traditional English striker's courage. And the hat-trick that was beginning to look inevitable arrived with nine minutes left as Torres ran on to John Arne Riise's flick to open his body and pass the ball under Green into the far corner with his right foot.

Gerrard — who had also turned in an impressive display — delivered more excitement with a rasping drive into the top corner from 20 yards with seven minutes left and, for once, Liverpool had enjoyed a perfect night.

There were other impressive performances, not least from young Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel. But this was an evening that belonged only to Merseyside's favourite matador.