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Torres scores brace as Reds complete stunning comeback

05/10/2008

Liverpool come from two goals behind to beat Manchester City 3-2 at Eastlands.

Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido put the home side 2-0 up at the break before Fernando Torres struck twice to level, before Dirk Kuyt scored in stoppage time.

Torres played as a lone striker with Robbie Keane replaced by Javier Mascherano, despite the striker breaking his duck against PSV Eindhoven in mid-week.

The first-half was a thrilling affair with both sides unlucky not score an early goal. Albert Riera's ferocious half-volley was saved by Joe Hart, while Pepe Reina was equal to Robinho's strike from 20 yards.

City grabbed the lead on 20 minutes when Alvaro Arbeloa's hesitation allowed Shaun Wright-Phillip' cross to find Ireland who whacked the ball into the roof of the net.

Mark Hughes' men showed their top-four ambitions by making it 2-0 on 43 minutes when Garrido curled in a free-kick into the top corner.

The Reds made a vast improvement in the second half and reduced their deficit on 55 minutes when Arbeloa's cross was poked in by Torres for his fourth goal of the season.

City should have wrapped up victory eight minutes later when Wright-Phillips' cross following a 70-yard run was scooped over the bar by Robinho from three yards out.

The talking point came on 67 minutes when Brazilian Zabaleta was shown red by referee Peter Walton for a lunge on Xabi Alonso, despite Hughes' protests.

Rafael Benitez then brought on Andrea Dossena and Robbie Keane in search of an equaliser in the final 20 minutes.

The changes reaped rewards when Gerrard's corner was headed in by Torres after Hart had flapped at the set-piece. The Spaniard should have completed his hat-trick eight minutes later but lifted the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

In the dying minutes, centre-back Martin Skrtel was given oxygen and stretchered off after his leg buckled.

That forced six minutes of stoppage time, which gave enough time for Torres to see his shot blocked and Kuyt poking the ball into an empty net at the far post to seal a memorable victory.