Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool 4, Stoke 0
Fernando Torres _300[LNB]LIVERPOOL put the misery of their opening day defeat at Tottenham firmly behind them with a convincing victory over Stoke at Anfield.[LNB]Last season Tony Pulis' men grabbed a 0-0 draw in this corresponding fixture, one of the results boss Rafael Benitez maintains cost Liverpool the title.[LNB]This time around there was no mistake. Steven Gerrard created two of the goals and new boy Glen Johnson had an outstanding game surging down the right at will.[LNB]Benitez bought Johnson, he claimed, to provided that extra adventure in difficult home games. And the England defender underlined just what his new manager meant.[LNB]He scored a close range goal on half-time on his home debut, to add to Fernando Torres' fourth-minute opener, and aided Gerrard's advance to set up the third for Dirk Kuyt.[LNB]Johnson's run and cross in injury-time presented substitute David Ngog with the fourth to cap an outstanding home debut for the new full-back.[LNB]Spanish youngster Daniel Ayala made his full Liverpool debut, with Martin Skrtel failing to recover from a damaged jaw sustained in Saturday's defeat at Spurs.[LNB]Ayala, 18, came on as a substitute at White Hart Lane for the injured Skrtel for his first senior appearance for Liverpool.[LNB]Yossi Benayoun replaced Ryan Babel, while Stoke made two changes from the side that beat Burnley - Glenn Whelan and Richard Cresswell replacing Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller as Pulis reverted to a more defensive system.[LNB]Liverpool fans' group, the Spirit of Shankly, organised a mass distribution of red cards ahead of the game to be waved by supporters protesting at the George Gillett-Tom Hicks ownership of the club.[LNB]Resentment runs deep at Anfield at the financial mess the club are in and Benitez's limited transfer budget.
