5th March, 2008

KB: KUMB; HM Hammers Mad; ST Sunday Times; SE Sunday Express; SM Sunday Mirror; OB Observer;
DM Daily Mirror; GU Guardian; TM Times; HD Hammers Diary; SK Sky; DE Daily Express

Sky Sports: Liverpool moved up to fourth spot above Everton with a 4-0 thumping of West Ham at Anfield. Fernando Torres was the star of the show with a superb hat-trick to take his tally to the season to 24 goals with Steven Gerrard grabbing the other goal with a stunning strike from the edge of the box. Torres broke the deadlock after just eight minutes when he swept home Dirk Kuyt's cross with a brilliant finish. The Spaniard doubled the lead just past the hour mark when he headed home Kuyt's cross and he completed his hat-trick with a cool finish nine minutes from time. Gerrard put the seal on a fine night for Rafa Benitez's men with a trademark shot into the top corner from the edge of the box on 83 minutes.

BBC Sport: It was a crucial win for the home team in the context of the scramble for fourth spot - and with it a place in next season's Champions League. Until they scored the decisive second goal it was a far from scintillating performance by Liverpool, who at times lacked urgency and were wasteful from set pieces. But West Ham, defeated 4-0 by Chelsea on Saturday, rarely looked as though they would force their way back into the contest after Torres struck early on. By the time Alan Curbishley introduced Dean Ashton and Bobby Zamora after 69 minutes the game had gone - and it was the home team who added to their tally with two late goals.

Hammers Mad: Fernando Torres bagged his third hat-trick of the season as rampant Liverpool powered into the fourth Champions League spot with a brilliant 4-0 drubbing of West Ham United at Anfield. Skipper Steven Gerrard put the gloss on a hugely impressive display with a thunderbolt at the death.

Daily Mirror: John Arne Riise crossed from the left for the industrious Dirk Kuyt, operating on the right again, to nod the ball back for Torres to glance a header just past the top corner. Torres adjusted his sights and 60 seconds later, in the eighth minute, Kuyt sent over a great cross from the right and he nipped in front of Ferdinand to tuck the ball home. The best West Ham could offer in reply was when Luis Boa Morte rounded Pepe Reina, only for the covering Alvaro Arbeloa to cut out the danger. Benitez urged his players players forward in search of that all-important second goal and the ever-improving Martin Skrtel went close with a glancing header before Robert Green produced a great save to keep out Gerrard's snapshot. The Hammers, without a win here since 1963, were in disarray and Neill was fortunate not to concede a penalty for handball and lone striker Carlton Cole was also lucky to get away with just a yellow for catching Xabi Alonso in the face with his arm. (David Anderson, 6th March, 2008)

The Times: Torres missed training on Tuesday with a stomach bug, but there could be no better antidote than another hat-trick as Liverpool reclaimed fourth place in the Barclays Premier League from Everton with a resounding victory. Admittedly, it came against a poor West Ham United team, who had lost by the same scoreline at home to Chelsea four days earlier. Alan Curbishley delivered a withering appraisal of their performance but, as abject as the London team were last night, Liverpool were impressive. Torres ensured that their fourth consecutive win in all competitions was secured with a swagger that was absent from their play during much of this winter of discontent. “I think the team was really good, a great performance,” Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, said. “Torres is on fire. He had a small problem before the game and we were thinking about maybe resting him, but he was OK. If he continues scoring goals, I’m sure he will be a threat to defenders.” This is what is known as understatement. Certainly, West Ham’s defence could not get close to him, with Lucas Neill, the captain, enduring a miserable evening and Matthew Upson limping off with a calf strain in the closing stages. Neill and his colleagues breathed a sigh of relief when Torres departed to a standing ovation after his third goal but there was still time for Steven Gerrard to score a spectacular fourth goal, leaving Curbishley at the mercy of West Ham’s supporters. Having begun by calling for him to play two men up front, they finished by chanting “It’s just like watching Charlton” — quite damning, really, at the risk of offending anyone in London SE7. (Oliver Holt, 6th March, 2008)

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