Johnson tries to get in on the action with an effort from the edge of the box but he fails to trouble Myhill on this occasion.

Voronin sends a looping header over Myhill and thinks he has scored before Sonko clears the ball off the line.

Riera cuts in from the right flank onto his left foot and curls a wicked shot at goal that misses Myhill's right hand post by a matter of inches.

Babel has looked bright since taking the field and takes the ball into the Hull box again but his pass across the face of goal does not find a team-mate and Hull clear their lines.

Voronin makes an immediate impact with a telling cross into the path of Babel but he fails to connect with the ball on the edge of the six-yard box and it runs behind for a goal-kick.

Babel bursts into the box and his first time shot deflects off Cooper and goes behind for a corner.

Ghilas tries his luck with a strike from just outside the box but makes a complete mess of it and the ball goes out for a Liverpool throw-in.

The game has slowed down a little in tempo now but Hull, who will now be content taking just a 4-1 defeat, will not mind.

The game has surely been put beyond doubt now and it is a scoreline that many will have predicted before the game, but disappointingly for the visitors it does not reflect the effort they have put in.

Kilbane is given the benefit of the doubt after another tasty challenge which could easily have earned him his second booking.

Hull enjoy a decent spell of possession with Geovanni pulling all the strings and it is he who lets fly from distance but it fails to trouble Reina.

Gerrard picks out Torres with a corner and he comes close to netting his fourth as his looping header grazes Myhill's crossbar.

Geovanni takes the resulting free-kick but makes a mess of it from 20-yards as he sends his shot high and into the stand behind the goal.

Gerrard swings a corner into the danger area but Kilbane heads it clear at the near post.

Torres will be taking the match ball home with him after securing his hat-trick with that goal. His performance so far today has been nothing short of sensational.

Liverpool press immediately through Riera but his cross is cleared by Cooper.

Torres holds the ball up and picks out Kuyt who is in a great position but he fires his shot into the Kop.

Torres, who is on a hat-trick now, arrows a superb header at goal which forces a fine save out of Myhill, but the linesman's flag is raised for offside anyway,

The home fans are in full voice after seeing their side restore their lead and they urge them forward again, but Torres' cross sails straight behind for a goal-kick.

Hull are giving this game their all and are searching for an equaliser but the finishing is letting them down at the moment.

Kamel Ghilas gets a shot away from inside the box but he fires his effort straight at Reina.

The ball bounces around on the edge of the Liverpool box and Hunt gets a shot on goal with a bicycle kick but it is a comfortable save for Reina.

Geovanni tries his luck with an ambitious long range effort that does not trouble Reina.

Liverpool appeal for a penalty as a cross appears to come off the arm of Vennegoor of Hesselink but the referee waves play on.

Torres peels away from his marker and cuts the ball back into the box for Kuyt but it is cut out by a gold shirt.

The home side are finding their feet now and enjoy a lengthy spell of possession around the Hull area but the move comes to nothing as Benayoun's ball is cut out by Cooper.

Liverpool are receiving a lot of joy down the left flank and this time Riera picks out Lucas who gets a shot away from distance but Myhill is equal to it.

The Hull defence stand off Emiliano Insua and he lets fly from 25-yard but the effort deflects off Hunt and bounces behind for a corner.

Geovanni takes a free-kick and picks out Paul McShane who sneaks in at the far post but he fails to get the ball under control.

Hull try to create something with an Ibrahima Sonko long throw but it is a Liverpool head that is first to the ball.

Yossi Benayoun floats a corner into the box but Hull manage to clear their lines.

Albert Riera reaches the byline and cuts the ball back across the face of goal but Stephen Hunt hacks the ball away to safety.

Glen Johnson moves forward for Liverpool but his final ball loops onto the roof of Myhill's net.

Hull do not look like they are simply going to sit back and defend in this game and are giving the home side no room to breathe in the opening stages.

Geovanni whips a free-kick into the mixer but the delivery is poor and sails straight behind for a goal-kick.

Liverpool get an early break and Steven Gerrard slides a pass through to Fernando Torres but Boaz Myhill is quick off his line to smother the loose ball.