The result left Liverpool top of the league after their best ever start to a Premier League season.

They had to wait an hour to take the lead before Torres volleyed through Tim Howard’s legs after a good cross from Robbie Keane.

Minutes later he had his second when he smashed a loose ball past Howard and into the centre of the Everton net to make it 0-2.

Everton had striker Tim Cahill sent off ten minutes from time for a poor tackle on Xabi Alonso.

He became the 17^th player to be sent off in a Liverpool derby since the start of the Premier League in 1992.

Clear cut chances were few and far between in the first half with both teams engaged in a fierce battle for possession.

Everton had an early penalty shout turned down by referee Mike Riley when Martin Skrtel and Yakubu went shoulder to shoulder in the Liverpool box

The first booking came in the 9^th minute when Marouane Fellaini was guilty of a poorly timed tackle.

Liverpool began to gain the advantage with some fantastic one-touch passing.

But Everton looked dangerous on the counter attack.

Jamie Carragher blocked a shot on the line from Fellaini after Reina dropped the ball.

Although the goal would not have counted as Mike Riley had already blown for a foul.

Alonso was booked six minutes before half time for a foul on Mikel Arteta.

A few minutes later Yakubu had the first real shot on goal.

He managed to get away from Skrtel but his shot was wide of the far post.

Just before the half time whistle Cahill was upended in the box but again Riley waved away the penalty shouts from Everton.

Liverpool had the better of the first half possession without either side creating any clear chances.

The only surprise was just two yellow cards in a highly physical first half.

Three minutes into the second half Yakubu was booked for diving in the Liverpool area.

Soon after Torres evened up the card count when he was booked for dissent.

Torres finally overcame his frustration on the hour mark with a volley through the legs of Howard in the six-yard box after a good cross from Robbie Keane.

He added his and Liverpool’s second when a loose ball found him unmarked in the Everton area.

He smashed the ball past Howard and into the centre of the goal.

Everton brought on new signing Lois Saha to try to get back in the game.

It seemed to have little effect as Liverpool then had two goals disallowed.

Dirk Kuyt hit the target but the ball had already gone out for a Liverpool corner.

Seconds later Torres thought he had his hat-trick only for his effort to be ruled out for Kuyt’s push on Lescott in the area.

Phil Jagielka then made a fantastic sliding tackle on Torres as he looked to dribble into the Everton area.

Everton were increasingly unable to penetrate the Liverpool defence.

Arbeloa was booked for a kick at Cahill after 76 minutes.

A minute later a rare Everton chance went begging as a fizzing cross form Lescott was missed at the back post by Yakubu and Fellaini.

But any glimmer of hope soon faded when Cahill was sent off ten minutes from time for a late challenge on Alonso.

Howard made a brilliant save from a Steven Gerrard shot with five minutes to go.

Louis Saha went close for Everton when he blasted a shot just wide of Reina’s post.

But in the end Torres’ quality proved to be the difference in a game where the away team were rarely tested.

Ryan Babel scored a second half winner as Liverpool beat Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield in the Premier League’s early kick-off.

It was Liverpool’s first win against United under Rafa Benitez.

United started the match brightly with good passing football.

Debutant Dimitar Berbatov sliding a cross from the by-line into the path of Tevez, who blasted the ball across the keeper and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

United looked worth their lead as they continued to pin back the Liverpool defence.

Liverpool had the odd chance themselves.

Dirk Kuyt went close with a fizzing shot from the edge of the area three minutes later.

Van der Sar was beaten but the ball sailed wide of the far post.

Kuyt went close again six minutes later when Van der Sar flapped at a cross only to redeem himself by saving on the line after Kuyt shot low through a crowded box.

Goalscorer Tevez was booked for a clumsy challenge on Fabio Aurelio on 21 minutes.

Then disaster struck for the United defence.

Van der Sar was again at fault as he flapped another cross only this time it proved much more costly.

The ball cannoned off the oncoming Wes Brown and trickled across the line to make it 1-1.

That bit of luck seemed to rally the Liverpool fans and their team responded as they began to pressure United for the first time in the match.

At half time the score seemed a fair reflection of the game.

Ryan Giggs came on for injured Michael Carrick at the start of the second half as Liverpool continued to dominate possession.

After 56 minutes Yossi Benayoun got round the back of Nemanja Vidic after a low pass from Robbie Keane but his shot was saved by Van der Sar.

United began to look increasingly unsettled defensively as Liverpool continued to dominate possession.

Paul Scholes was replaced by Owen Hargreaves on the hour mark to try and give United a stronger foothold in the game.

Liverpool responded by bringing on Steven Gerrard to replace Benayoun a minute later.

Giggs had one of United’s scarce chances as his looping shot from outside the area was tipped over by Pepe Reina twenty minutes from time.

Rafa Benitez decided to make a change in attack as Liverpool pushed for the winner.

Ryan Babel coming on for Albert Riera.

It proved to be a master stroke for Benitez as seven minutes later Giggs failed to clear, instead giving away possession under pressure from Javier Mascherano.

Kuyt crossed low into the area and Babel powered a shot past Van der Sar, high into the centre of the goal to make it 2-1.

United looked out of ideas as they sent Vidic upfront.

Things went from bad to worse as he was sent off for a second bookable offence in the final minute.

He will now miss the trip to Chelsea next weekend.

At the final whistle Liverpool were very much deserved winners.

A delighted Benitez said: “The fans deserved the win and so do the players after their fantastic work-rate and effort they have put in.”

Ferguson on the other hand will have more questions to answer before the start of United’s Champions League title defence against Villarreal on Wednesday.

He said: “We can take nothing positive from this.

“We didn’t have one performer on the pitch apart from possibly Rio Ferdinand.

“It was disappointing.”

Premier League Results

Blackburn 0-4 Arsenal
Fulham 2-1 Bolton
Liverpool 2-1 Man Utd
Man City 1-3 Chelsea
Newcastle 1-2 Hull
Portsmouth 2-1 Middlesbrough
West Brom 3-2 West Ham
Wigan 1-1 Sunderland

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