Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool: Torres caps wonder debut season with 24th goal against Spurs

By John Cross 12/05/2008

Fernando Torres finished his season by setting a new Premier League record and left Dimitar Berbatov saying his goodbyes with a strop and a sulk.

Liverpool striker Torres scored a typically clinical 24th goal of the season to beat the record held by former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy for goals scored by a foreigner in his rookie season.

And the Liverpool performance underlined just how much work Spurs boss Juande Ramos will have to do at White Hart Lane this summer.

His main task will be to replace Berbatov, whose lacklustre and disinterested performance underlined just how desperate he is to leave the club.

Berbatov showed flashes of genius but spent most of the afternoon with his hands on his hips and a pout on his lips.

In contrast, Torres looked like he wished the season was just starting.

The Spaniard not only scored a 74th-minute clincher but also set up Andriy Voronin's opener five minutes earlier.

Liverpool were deserved winners with a second-half master-class which put Tottenham's ambitions of breaking into the top four into stark perspective.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon came when the giant screen showed that West Ham were losing, giving Tottenham hope of finishing in TENTH place.

In typical Tottenham fashion, they quickly conceded two goals and West Ham even scrambled a point to leave Spurs in the bottom half of the table.

To pile on the embarrassment, they embarked on a cringe worthy lap of honour in front of a rapidly emptying stadium after the final whistle.

When the stadium announcer shouted over the tannoy: "There have been plenty of highlights this season," one of the louder fans near the dug-out shouted: "How many games have you been to, mate?"

As Paul Robinson - complete with bleached blond hair - threw his shirt into the crowd as a clear farewell gesture, the Spurs fans gave their players a decidedly lukewarm reception.

It was an awful first half with both teams barely breaking sweat, and the fans seemed more interested in what was going on elsewhere.

But the second half picked up with Steed Malbranque and Robbie Keane going close.

However, it was Liverpool who found a second gear and took charge as the game wore on. Jonathan Woodgate had been outstanding at the back for Tottenham but Torres out jumped the other Spurs centre half Michael Dawson to flick on Alvaro Arbeloa's diagonal ball for Voronin, who calmly stroked the ball past keeper Radek Cerny.

Five minutes later, Liverpool substitute Yossi Benayoun's precise pass found Torres and he embarrassed Dawson again with a brilliant turn before poking the ball past Cerny.

Thirty seconds later, Dawson was substituted.

Liverpool could have had a third in the last minute when Arbeloa's right-wing cross found Benayoun unmarked and in enough space to try a cheeky back-heel.

It would have been a wonderful goal but drifted just wide.

Ole won: how Torres took the league by storm

Aug 19: Liverpool 1, Chelsea 1

Opened his Reds account with a super finish beyond Chelsea keeper Petr Cech 1 goal

Sep 1: Liverpool 6 Derby 0

Close range finish followed by another tap-in after Andy Todd's error 2 goals

Oct 7: Liverpool 2, Spurs 2

Injury time header from Steve Finnan's cross rescues a point for Reds at Anfield 1 goal

Nov 10: Liverpool 2 Fulham 0

Stepped off the bench to ignite Reds and score first with a stunning solo effort 1 goal

Dec 2: Liverpool 4 Bolton 0

Latched on to Steven Gerrard's great through ball to net second goal 1 goal

Dec 22: Liverpool 4 Portsmouth 1

Composed finish for the first and a brilliant left-footed volley secures emphatic win 2 goals

Dec 26: Derby 1 Liverpool 2

Beat two Derby defenders before guiding the opener beyond keeper Lewis Price 1 goal

Jan 2: Liverpool 1 Wigan 1

Finished a fine move involving Steve Finnan and Gerrard to put Reds ahead 1 goal

Jan 12: M'boro 1 Liverpool 1

Super 25-yard strike beats Mark Schwarzer to earn the Reds a vital point at the Riverside 1 goal

Feb 2: Liverpool 3 S'land 0

Collected Peter Crouch"s flick-on and fired home the second goal at Anfield 1 goal

Feb 23: Liverpool 3 Boro 2

Two calm finishes and a long-range effort completed a brilliant hat-trick for the Spaniard 3 goals

Mar 5: Liverpool 4 W Ham 0

Another game, another hat-trick. Three more ice-cool strikes sealed a crushing victory 3 goals

Mar 8: Liverpool 3 Newcastle 0

Took Gerrard's pass, dummied keeper Steve Harper and slotted into an empty net 1 goal

Mar 15: Liverpool 2 Reading 1

Powerful header from Gerrard's free-kick that flew past Marcus Hahnemann 1 goal

Mar 30: Liverpool 1 Everton 0

Another perfect finish from close-range settled a tense Merseyside derby 1 goal

Apr 13: Liv'pool 3 Blackburn 1

Headed Steven Gerrard's cross past Brad Friedel to put the Reds two up 1 goal

May 4: Liverpool 1 Man C 0

Beat Richard Dunne's challenge before steering the ball beyond Joe Hart 1 goal

May 11: Spurs 0 Liverpool 2

Turned Alan Hutton and slotted home to break Ruud van Nistelrooy's record 1 goal