Torres sinks Chelsea...

From the Liverpool FC official commentary....

Fernando Torres struck a last-gasp double to claim a sensational 2-0 victory for Liverpool against 10-man Chelsea.

The Reds produced a dominant second-half display against the Blues and deservedly claimed the three points when El Nino grabbed his first Anfield goals of the season on 89 and 94 minutes.

It means Rafael Benitez's men move up to second place in the table and are now two points behind leaders Man United who still have a game in hand.

The Reds had gone into the match with the Londoners hoping to send out a message that they were still very much a part of the title race.

Vice Captain Jamie Carragher had urged his teammates to make a statement of their intent and they duly set about making life uncomfortable for Luiz Felipe Scolari's men.

A lightning break after just 60 seconds almost provided the perfect start but for once Steven Gerrard failed to make the most of an opening on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area.

Amidst the backdrop of snowfall both sides showed a keen appetite for the contest and in the early exchanges there were some thunderous challenges, but little in the way of actual attempts at goal.

Xabi Alonso went some way to altering that stat with a stinging 25 yarder that Petr Cech managed to tip over the bar at full stretch, but it remained an evenly matched contest throughout the half.

The Reds looked the more likely to make a breakthrough with a series of long range efforts that will have caused some concern for the visitors, particularly when Javier Mascherano's thunderbolt was spilled by Cech. Sadly for Rafa and co there was no red shirt close enough to take advantage.

The game needed a goal and it could so easily have arrived on the half hour mark when Jamie Carragher crossed from the right for Torres, but the Spaniard's turn and shot was brilliantly blocked by a Chelsea defender.

As the half finally came to close the Reds could claim to have edged it and with a touch of luck they could have gone in ahead.

Albert Riera evaded two challenges and forced a smart save out of Cech with Ashley Cole lucky to see the rebound smash off his knee and wide of the far post.

A second-half onslaught at the Kop end was the order of the day and Dirk Kuyt went close to an immediate breakthrough when he stabbed an effort wide following Alex's mistake.

Mascherano then floated a pass to Gerrard inside the area but despite a superb knockdown from the skipper, Torres saw his goal-bound effort well blocked.

The Reds were turning the screw and could easily have been awarded a penalty on 56 minutes when John Terry appeared to bring down Kuyt, but referee Mike Riley refused to point to the spot.

Tensions were reaching fever pitch and Liverpool were handed a huge advantage just shy of the hour mark when Frank Lampard was shown a straight red card for a high tackle of Alonso.

The dismissal inspired a crescendo of noise inside Anfield with the Reds surging forward to chants of 'attack, attack; attack, attack, attack'.

Gerrard saw his free-kick deflected to safety by the Chelsea wall and Mascherano headed Carragher's cross just over before Alonso's curler cannoned off back off the crossbar.

The home side were camped inside the Chelsea half and must have thought they had finally scored on 72 minutes. A corner from the right fell at the feet of Torres and as the striker turned he unleashed a fizzing effort at goal that was somehow hacked clear on the line.

Substitute Yossi Benayoun twice came close late on before El Nino saved the day with a sublime near post header from Fabio Aurelio's pinpoint cross.

And it got better four minutes into injury-time when the Spaniard lashed home the loose ball after Benayoun was challenged in the penalty area.

It means Liverpool have completed their first league double over Chelsea since 1990 - the last time they won the title.