Torres fires Reds to derby glory - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Torres fires Reds to derby glory

Liverpool took a significant step towards securing fourth place in the Barclays Premier League with a tense 1-0 victory over Everton in the 207th Merseyside derby.

Fernando Torres scored his 21st league goal of the season in the seventh minute and Steven Gerrard hit a post as the hosts should have had the match wrapped up by half-time.

They became increasingly edgy as the match progressed but hung on to move five points clear of their nearest rivals with six matches of the campaign remaining.

Torres scored inside seven minutes of his Merseyside derby debut.

It was Liverpool's 100th in all competitions this season and he equalled the club record of scoring in six successive home league games.

It came when Xabi Alonso caught Ayegbeni Yakubu in possession 20 yards out, a situation the Nigerian should have had under control.

But he dithered and the ball was poked back into the box for Dirk Kuyt to flick forward. And Torres was on it in a flash, drilling the ball inside Tim Howard's far post with the normally solid Everton rearguard all over the place.

And for the next half-hour Liverpool pinned Everton back, searching for further success.

Gerrard, himself, on his 20th derby appearance, almost uprooted Howard's right-hand post with a fierce, dipping drive from 25-yards.

Everton started the second period with growing intent and Leon Osman sent a header just wide. Kuyt curled a 20-yarder just wide and Howard saved superbly from Gerrard in the dying moments.

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