Graphic: Tactical analysis by Bill Edgar

Rafael BenÍtez has overseen some special occasions during his 200 games in charge at Anfield, so there was never any chance that he would get carried away with a home win over Fulham, but the Liverpool manager had a spring in his step on Saturday.

BenÍtez had used his programme notes to predict that his side would start winning league matches in front of their own supporters soon and, unfortunately for Fulham, his players backed up their manager’s words with a second-half display that reminded those who had forgotten that Anfield is a place that sides should fear visiting.

A string of unimpressive, home draws had many wondering whether BenÍtez remembered how to pocket three points on Merseyside. Until Fernando Torres’s late introduction, Fulham, who have long since forgotten how to win away from home, looked set for a point, thanks mainly to Antti Niemi, their goalkeeper.

Torres was forced to start from the substitutes’ bench as BenÍtez rewarded the XI who had brushed aside Besiktas 8-0 in the Champions League, but the Spain forward is a certain starter for Liverpool’s next league match, away to Newcastle United, after his goalscoring impact. “For me, the key is to know when to use each striker, how and when to use the qualities of each one, but that is why we spent the money,” BenÍtez said. “In the last few years, we have controlled a lot of these kind of games, but we needed to score more goals.”

Torres has scored eight times for Liverpool and Steven Gerrard, who made sure of the points from the penalty spot, believes that his goals can keep BenÍtez’s team in the title race during the testing, winter months. “That’s just the type of player that he is,” Gerrard said. “That’s what we signed him for, to change games and win football matches for us. These are the games and the wins that get you back in the title race.”

Lawrie Sanchez, the Fulham manager, is confident that his team’s 14-month wait for an away win in the league is not long in coming. “We led at Arsenal with six minutes to go on the first day of the season, we drew at Chelsea and might have taken all three points in the last few minutes and we have played well enough at Liverpool,” he said.

Liverpool (442): J M Reina 6 – Á Arbeloa 6, J Carragher 7, S Hyypia 6, F Aurélio 6 – Y Benayoun 8, J Mascherano 6 (sub: Lucas Leiva, 81min), S Gerrard 6, J A Riise 6 (sub: R Babel, 62 5) – A Voronin 6 (sub: F Torres, 70 7), P Crouch 6. Substitutes not used: D Martin, S Finnan. Next: Newcastle United (a).

Fulham (4-4-2): A Niemi 9 – C Baird 6, A Hughes 6, D Stefanovic 6, C Bocanegra 6 – S Davies 5, S Davis 6, D Murphy 6, C Dempsey 6 (sub: D Kamara, 69 4) – S Kuqi 5, D Healy 6 (sub: H Bouazza, 60 4). Substitutes not used: A Warner, A Smertin, A Leijer. Booked: Dempsey, Murphy. Next: Blackburn Rovers (h).

Referee S Tanner
Attendance 43,073