Wolves 0 Liverpool 3: Torres turns it on as Dalglish celebrates first victory

22 January 2011 23:28
Just as Liverpool's season looked like it had gone to the dogs, they went to the Wolves and rediscovered their bite. [LNB]At the fourth time of asking in his'Second Coming' as manager, Kenny Dalglish oversaw the first win of his21st century reign, and his first in charge of Liverpool for 20 years. [LNB]Significantly, victory was securedthanks to two goals from Fernando Torres, indicating that the Spainstriker and perhaps his club have turned a corner. [LNB] [LNB] Net result: Fernando Torres (right) finishes off a well-worked move to give Liverpool the lead[LNB]Those strikes bookended the othergoal, from the outstanding Raul Meireles, who demonstrated that StevenGerrard's absence need not automatically guarantee a decline in teamperformance.[LNB] Gerrard was suspended and is available for Wednesday's home game with Fulham, the first of back-to-back fixtures at Anfield. [LNB]Yesterday's result lifted Liverpoolinto the top half of the table and a decent run would see them close inon European places, if not Champions League qualification.[LNB] 'At the moment the feeling iselation,' said Dalglish, having been asked if the victory came as arelief, following defeats by Manchester United (FA Cup) and Blackpool(league), before last Sunday's draw in the Merseyside derby.[LNB] 'It may have been comprehensive inthe end but that was because of the effort and a tremendous amount ofhard work throughout the game. We had fantastic effort from all theplayers and they got their reward. [LNB]'That was a tough game. If you don't compete when you come to Molineux, you won't walk away with anything other than a defeat.' [LNB] Delicate: Raul Meireles connects with a beautiful volley to give Wayne Hennessey no chance[LNB]Like the first three games forDalglish, the opening half-hour was not, in truth, inspiring. For allthe effort and glimpses of hope, there was nothing solid to celebrate. [LNB]The first chance took 21 minutes toarrive, Meireles sending a long diagonal ball from inside his own halfto Torres, who rounded Christophe Berra and shot at Wayne Hennesseywith little venom.The keeper palmed it away easily. [LNB]Wolves had two chances, each falling to Nenad Milijas. The first was a free-kick in the 25th minute, skied over the bar. [LNB]The second, at the end of the firsthalf, was a poked effort at close range, blocked by Pepe Reina. StevenFletcher's 66th-minute stinging shot was as close as the hostsotherwise got to scoring. By the time Reina stopped that, Liverpoolwere two ahead. [LNB]The opener came at the end of a move started and finished by Torres. [LNB] Three and easy: Fernando Torres seals Liverpool victory[LNB]He laid the ball off to Lucas andran, leaving the Brazilian to pass to Meireles, who supplied the ballfor Torres to apply the finish. [LNB]Shouts for offside against Meireleswere ignored as referee Martin Atkinson accepted the decision of hislineswoman, Sian Massey, that the move was legitimate. [LNB]Replays vindicated her call.Meireles and Torres had both started to exert influence before theopener, the former flashing a free-kick wide, and Torres setting upMaxi Rodriguez for a shot.[LNB] Meireles scored five minutes intothe second half when smacking a volley into the top corner from DanielAgger's free-kick, which was lofted half the length of the pitch. [LNB]If the two-goal margin was no morethan Liverpool deserved against a Wolves side short on ideas and devoidof incisive crossing until Adam Hammill came on for his debut, thenestablishing it freed them to play more expansively.[LNB] Official move: Assistant referee Sian Massey at Molineux[LNB] Torres looked a man reborn, chasing and harrying, running into space and with the ball at his feet. He looked likely to get a second four minutes from time but Richard Stearman held firm in a blocking challenge. [LNB]Torres did get his second in added time, though, sweeping in low after Dirk Kuyt's run down the left.[LNB] 'That was Fernando's best game since I came back,' said Dalglish, adding praise, too, for Meireles. [LNB]'We were delighted with his play and with his commitment,' the Scot added of the 27-year-old Portuguese, now coming good after his £11.5 million move from Porto last summer.[LNB] 'All in all, it's been a good day at the office.' [LNB] Wolves v Liverpool 1: All the action from Molineux as it happenedHammill completes move to Wolves but deal casts doubt over JarvisLiverpool raise their offer for Charlie Adam but Blackpool reject £4.5m bidAll the latest Liverpool news, features and opinionAll the latest Wolves news, features and opinion[LNB]  Explore more:People: Christian Poulsen, Fernando Torres, Daniel Agger, Jose Reina, Kevin Doyle, Wayne Hennessey, Paul Konchesky, Roy Hodgson, Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez, Steven Gerrard, Steven Fletcher, Charlie Adam Places: Liverpool, Portugal, Denmark

Source: Daily_Mail