Torres guides Liverpool

The Spain striker (pictured) scored Liverpool's opener and winner as the Hammers twice came from behind to level through goals from Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole.

Torres's brace sandwiched an opportunistic finish from Dirk Kuyt in a match that lived up to the cliche of being a 'game of two halves'.

An entertaining first half was brightened by the performances of two strikers, with West Ham youngster Zavon Hines causing Liverpool all kinds of trouble with his pace and energy while star striker Torres scored an astounding individual effort to put the Reds ahead before heading a towering winner.

Hines should have put his side in front on 20 minutes when some Keystone Cops defending gave him a free run at Pepe Reina.

But the 20-year-old, London-raised Jamaican fired a powerful finish off the right-hand post that flew into the grateful Reina's arms.

Yossi Benayoun, one of three former West Ham players returning to Upton Park in the red of Liverpool, had a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock only five minutes later, but the Israeli playmaker could only fire straight at Robert Green after a superb flick by Torres.

Liverpool had a claim for a handball rejected when a Torres shot spun up against the arm of Herita Ilunga, but it was ball-to-hand and Andre Marriner waved play on.

Glen Johnson almost put into his own net but Reina saved his headed intervention to Julien Faubert's cross, while for Liverpool Torres fired just wide after a smart turn on the edge of the box.

The visitors broke the deadlock and it was a fine strike from Spain star Torres.

Benayoun slid the ball wide left to Torres who cut inside but was blocked off by James Tomkins. The former Atletico Madrid man shimmied one way, another and poked it past Tomkins but the angle was surely too tight and the presence of the onrushing Robert Green too much for him to finish.

No matter for Torres, who in one movement snapped forward past Matthew Upson's despairing lunge and flicked the ball at gravity-defying pace to flash past Green for a 20th-minute opener.

Upson had to go off injured for his travails, adding to the defensive woes of a West Ham side already light at the back, forcing Danny Gabbidon into action for his second appearance after almost two years out.

Their problems were compounded when a distraught Valon Behrami was forced off only 27 minutes into his comeback after six months out injured. His reaction implied that he felt he could play on and Steve Clarke had to console the Switzerland midfielder on his way to the dressing room.

West Ham hit back though, and it was the speed of Hines that brought them level. The goal was doubly controversial as Hines seemed to make the most of a push from Jamie Carragher as he raced past him on the left-hand side of the box.

It was a clear push though, but the real talking-point was that Italian forward Diamanti slipped while taking the spot kick and that the ball appeared to hit both of his feet before spooning into the roof of the next with Reina diving to his right.

Liverpool's bench contested it, and with reason, although while the trajectory of the ball made it unlikely that it only touched his left foot, replays were inconclusive as to whether secondary contact was definite.

Martin Skrtel was lucky to escape without seeing red when he brought Hines down after an error put the West Ham livewire through, but Marriner waved play on and Liverpool survived.

They went 2-1 up soon after when, three minutes before the break, Benayoun's corner was powered to the bottom left by Steven Gerrard for Kuyt's outstretched leg to divert the goal inside the post.

The lead did not last too long though as, in first-half stoppage time, a Liverpool trio of Carragher, Torres and Skrtel failed to prevent Cole rising to power Mark Noble's corner into the bottom right.

The second half proved less eventful.

The first real chance came on the hour mark, when Reina was forced to tip a wickedly-curling Diamanti corner away from his far post.

Three minutes later, Benayoun almost scored a virtuoso solo goal with a mazy run from the left, but he failed to pull the trigger in time and the Hammers cleared.

As the match progressed West Ham dropped deeper and deeper and started picking up knocks, with Diamanti forced off with a hamstring problem and cramp seeming to set-in with several players.

Their tired legs were probably at play when, after Johnson's shot was blocked, substitute Ryan Babel glided past Ilunga with ease and put a far-post ball to Torres, who rose above the West Ham defence to divert a superb header into the bottom left.

Despite being behind, the Hammers were still sitting back as if they were defending a lead as Gianfranco Zola's policy of defence-first continued.

Liverpool toiled for a fourth but, with West Ham offering nothing going forward, the final quarter hour fizzled into a damp squib as the visitors comfortably held on for the win.

Rafael Benitez's side moved third, one goal ahead of Manchester City who also have 12 points, but that could change depending on results between City and second-placed United while Tottenham, fourth, face leaders Chelsea.