Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 4 Stoke 0: Fernando Torres learns to shut up and put up for Rafa
Rafael Benitez dismissed suggestions he was on the verge of quitting as Liverpool boss after seeing his side sweep away the early-season gloom gathering over Anfield with an emphatic home win over Stoke.
Fernando Torres opened his account for the season and Glen Johnson scored his first since arriving from Portsmouth for £17million before Dirk Kuyt and David Ngog completed the rout.
Rumours had been rife before the game that Benitez was frustrated over the lack of transfer funds this summer, and could be about to resign.
Quick response: Torres gives Liverpool an early lead
But the Spaniard, who only signed a new contract in March, insisted: 'I was at Melwood and someone told me about the rumours.
'That's something that can happen at this club sometimes, I decided to stay here for the fans, the staff and the players. My commitment is 100 per cent.'
Torres delivered to order for Rafa Benitez last night as Liverpool suggested reports of their title demise may just have been premature.
A 2-1 opening-day defeat at Tottenham, or rather the manner of it, had many an observer eliminating Liverpool from the list of candidates who might have something to say about Manchester United finishing as champions again.
If Benitez remained unperturbed by such a snap judgment, he did admit to concerns about Torres' growing susceptibility to provocation by opposing defenders.
The Liverpool manager took his £21million signing aside, after seeing him risk disciplinary action by squaring up to Tom Huddlestone at White Hart Lane, and urged him to vent any frustration in the way he does best.
He could hardly have wished for a better response.
As an extra bonus for Benitez, the much-maligned Lucas continued hisimpressive form by playing a key role in an early Liverpool onslaught.And new signing Johnson played himself into the affections of anadmiring Kop with a goal and a fine show of attacking full-back playdown the right.
Benitez sprang to the defence of Lucas after he was derided as a wholly inadequate replacement for Xabi Alonso and predictably played him last night, alongside Javier Mascherano.
The Brazilian may never match Alonso's range of passing or eye for anopening, but there are increasing signs he is beginning to grow inconfidence.
He forced a save from Thomas Sorensen in only the second minute and was to the fore again two minutes later, as Liverpool came up with the early breakthrough.
A slick pass to Steven Gerrard on the right allowed the Liverpool skipper to pull the ball back for the lurking Torres to drill a first-time shot unerringly past Sorensen from eight yards.
Stoke had little answer to a wave of Liverpool attacks, as Torres almost picked out Johnson for a second and Emiliano Insua went even closer in the 21st minute.
Torres provided the delivery this time with a low cross towards the far post and Insua was left covering his face in dismay after prodding a pointblank opportunity wide.
Stoke might have been on level terms in the 14th minute but for DeanWhitehead overhitting a pass with Matthew Etherington poised for a runon goal. It summed up their first-half deficiencies as the ball sailedout for a goal-kick.
They were made to pay on the stroke of half-time as Kuyt met aGerrard corner with a firm header that James Beattie did well to blockon the line.
The former Everton striker's heroics counted for nothing, though, asJohnson launched himself acrobatically at the loose ball and hooked ithome from close range.
A few choice words from Pulis at half-time briefly threatened to rouse Stoke out of theirlethargy as Rory Delap watched a half-cleared corner on to his leftfoot and unleashed a first-time volley that looked destined for thebottom corner.
Many judge Pepe Reina to be the best goalkeeper in the BarclaysPremier League and that number can only have increased after the way helaunched himself to his left and tipped Delap's effort around the postat full stretch.
It was to be Stoke's only genuine threat on goal and their fate was sealed by a flashofbrilliance from Gerrard in the 78th minute. The England midfielder isrenowned for his surging runs, but it was close control and inspiredvision that allowed him to bring down Mascherano's chipped pass andturn past Etherington in one movement before rolling the ball along thesix-yard line for Kuyt to force home.
Johnson had already gone close to another goal with a typicaljinking run and low left foot shot that forced a sprawling save fromSorensen at the foot of his near post.
He again underlinedhis attacking potency deep into injury time. His cross from thetightest of angles skimmed the post and fell obligingly for substituteDavid Ngog to apply the finishing touch and round off a night that putthe spring back into many a Liverpudlian's step.
