Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 3: Torres fires late winner to put Liverpool back on top
Portsmouth v Liverpool: How the game unfolded[LNB]PORTSMOUTH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]LIVERPOOL NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Man City 1 Middlesbrough 0[LNB]Blackburn 0 A Villa 2[LNB]Chelsea 0 Hull 0[LNB]Everton 3 Bolton 0[LNB]Sunderland 2 Stoke 0[LNB]West Brom 2 Newcastle 3[LNB]Wigan 0 Fulham 0[LNB] Perhaps Rafa Benitez is a misunderstood genius after all. Last week he sold his principal support striker, Robbie Keane, and yesterday rested his leading forward, Fernando Torres, declining to bring him into the action until 76 minutes. [LNB]And yet, when the Spaniard fired home a stunning header in the second minute of stoppage time to claim a thrilling win, all seemed right with the world of Liverpool's[LNB]manager. [LNB] Party time: Fernando Torres (right) celebrates scoring the winning goal with Yossi Benayoun[LNB] [LNB]'Torres is part of the squad, but without the other players we would not be where we are,' said Benitez. 'We saw a lot of resolve. We saw different players working hard on the pitch, trying to keep the ball. They all worked hard for the team and the fans. We showed the quality we have in the squad. We could have lost but we deserved to win it.' [LNB]Benitez might have struggled to justify himself if, as looked likely, an impressive Portsmouth side had emerged winners. But with the late, late rescue act of his talismanic signing, the club can continue to dream of ending their 19-year wait for a league title. For this morning at least, they return to the top of the table above Manchester United.[LNB][LNB] Shooting star: Peter Crouch goes close for Portsmouth as Jamie Carragher watches on[LNB]On such moments are seasons decided. When Yossi Benayoun dashed to the byline, a hapless 2-2 draw appeared inevitable. Yet, the Israeli's fierce cross was met precisely by Torres, who saved more than a match. He may have redeemed a season. [LNB]Benitez's selection had only served to deepen the Keane mystery. Alongside Torres - unable as yet to manage three hard games in a week on his recovering hamstrings - on the bench were Xabi Alonso, carrying an ankle injury, and Dirk Kuyt. Without injured Steven Gerrard and that trio of internationals, the starting XI looked more suited to the Carling Cup. [LNB]Portsmouth threatened first on six minutes. Sylvain Distin launched a hopeful long ball and David Nugent made the most of it with neat control, a sharp turn and a precise pass to the feet of Peter Crouch, only for the ex-Liverpool striker to manage the tamest of strikes at Pepe Reina.[LNB][LNB] Dutch of class: Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt scores [LNB] Liverpool responded when Benayoun, played in by Alvaro Arbeloa, shot into the side-netting. Brazilian Fabio Aurelio twice shot just wide while Javier Mascherano was first to seriously test David James, bringing the best from the England goalkeeper on 26 minutes with a swerving shot from 25 yards. [LNB]Portsmouth fans chanted loyally for manager Tony Adams, despite not having recorded a Premier League win in eight games. Angelos Basinas, making his debut after signing from AEK Athens, slotted into central midfield and went close on 29 minutes with a curling freekick well held by a diving Reina. [LNB]More of a revelation was the tireless Nugent, finding gaps in Liverpool's back three of Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel. On 38 minutes, Basinas took Carragher out of the game with a fine touch and found Crouch, whose fierce strike just cleared the bar.[LNB] No stopping me: Sol Campbell attempts to tackle David Ngog[LNB]Poor David Ngog, 19, was up front on his own for Liverpool on his first Premier League start. His first telling contribution came shortly after the break, an incisive run and shot which was charged down for a corner. But only a few minutes later the visiting fans began the chants for Torres. They had seen enough. [LNB]Liverpool were also beginning to ride their luck, none more so than when Agger clearly handled in the penalty area on 56 minutes. Howard Webb waved away the appeals. [LNB]Yet the visitors were authors of their own misfortune on 59 minutes when Ryan Babel committed what must rank as the worst miss of the Premier League season. Benayoun had duped Distin and sprinted clear on goal. He fed Kuyt - on for the hapless Ngog - whose precision cross landed perfectly for his fellow Dutchman. Three yards out, somehow Babel failed to make contact as the ball flew across the face of goal.[LNB][LNB] Look behind you: David Nugent and Jamie Carragher fight for possession[LNB]Three minutes later Portsmouth were ahead. Crouch got the better of Carragher, who never looked entirely comfortable in the back three, and laid off a neat pass for the onrushing Nugent. The Liverpudlian striker, an Evertonian by inclination, took a touch and fired past Reina. Yet Portsmouth gave away their hard-earned lead in farcical circumstances.[LNB]Crouch played an awful backpass and with Kuyt closing in, James felt the need to touch the ball with his hands. Webb awarded a freekick, sub Alonso touched it to Aurelio and he smashed the ball past Nico Kranjcar, who failed to guard a post. [LNB]With Torres now on, Liverpool searched for a winner but they reckoned without their own slack defending. On 78 minutes, Hermann Hreidarsson was allowed the freedom to charge at a lofted free-kick from Nadir Belhadj and the Icelandic defender headed home majestically. [LNB]But on 85 minutes, Torres laid the ball back to Kuyt, Sol Campbell allowed the Dutchman to brush past him and then, from the narrowest of angles, he smashed the ball past James, who was too stunned to move. [LNB]That seemed to be that, but like so many great players, Torres was hungry for more and he delivered it.[LNB] Portsmouth v Liverpool: How the game unfolded[LNB]PORTSMOUTH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]LIVERPOOL NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Man City 1 Middlesbrough 0[LNB]Blackburn 0 A Villa 2[LNB]Chelsea 0 Hull 0[LNB]Everton 3 Bolton 0[LNB]Sunderland 2 Stoke 0[LNB]West Brom 2 Newcastle 3[LNB]Wigan 0 Fulham 0[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
