Fernando Torres scored a great goal on his Anfield debut against the team that look Liverpool's main challengers if they are to win the Premier League title. The Spanish striker picked up an injury just before half-time that seemed to affect his second-half performance - but what we saw in the first half shows why Rafael Benitez shelled out the big bucks for him.

The former Athletico Madrid man's goal came from a Steven Gerrard pass, but the way he rounded Tal Ben-Haim and clinically beat Peter Cech, one of the best keepers in the world, was magical and can only give the player confidence for the future. If Torres can make the Chelsea defence look so ordinary, then he should have no problem with the rest of the Premier League.

The game itself was a little bad tempered but I think fans from both sides would agree that it did not warrant eight yellow cards and a penalty that clearly never was. But this is football and as unjust as Rob Styles' decision was against Liverpool, you have to take the good with the bad. But it really was very bad judgement and cost the team that played far better on the day the full three points.

'If Torres can make the Chelsea defence look so ordinary, then he should have no problem with the rest of the Premier League'


From the managers' point of view, Benitez will be the happier because he knows that only a poor refereeing decision cost his team victory. And he still has players to come in as he slowly integrates his new signings into the team.

Ryan Babel looks a mouth-watering proposition. In his few cameo appearances, he really has looked the real deal and when Benitez feels that he is accustomed enough to his new club and begins to actually start games, it will really increase Liverpool's attack. And there are others.

Yossi Benayoun has not really featured yet but his creativity will be a huge improvement on the current attack.
Rafa also has players like Harry Kewell, Leto, Lucas and Andriy Voronin to unleash on the Premier League. I expect the preferred starting line-up in the big games to be similar to yesterday with maybe Javier Mascherano included. But when the new players establish themselves, look out for Babel and Benayoun; I really think these two players are the ones to take us to the next level.

It was disappointing we did not beat Chelsea, but what we can take away from it is the confidence that we are the better team. We can only control how we play, not the way a bad ref thinks. We must also think how Chelsea and their self-proclaimed Special One feel, knowing that their manager and players are not so special any more because at Anfield they were shown to be the second-best team on the day.

If Liverpool can produce displays like they did against Chelsea and Benitez can instill in his players the belief that they really are the best side in the Premier League, they need fear no team . Then no amount of silly refereeing will stop them from winning the title.