Torres ends season on a high

Fernando Torres ended the season on a personal high by scoring his 33rd goal in his debut season and in doing so overtook Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record for most goals by a foreigner in a debut Premier League season.

Torres’ 24th league goal came in typical style, rounding the defender and expertly finishing to give the Reds a 2-0 lead at White Hart Lane after Andriy Voronin had opened the scoring.

Pepe Reina collected his 18th clean sheet of the season and in doing so won his third consecutive Golden Glove award.

BBC Sport Report

Goals from Andriy Voronin and Fernando Torres secured a comfortable victory for Liverpool over Tottenham in a lack-lustre affair at White Hart Lane.

Voronin opened the scoring midway through the second-half slipping the ball past Radek Cerny after latching onto Torres’ flick-on.

Torres then made it 2-0 with a superb individual effort, his 24th league goal of his debut Liverpool season.

The Spaniard also hit the crossbar with a fine chip late on.

Although both teams had little to play for, Liverpool being secure in fourth place and Tottenham stuck in mid-table, entertainment was in short supply early on.

The visitors shaded a poor first 45 minutes, dominating possession with Tottenham struggling to get out of their half.

But despite not having the ball for long periods, Tottenham defended well and limited Liverpool to half-chances.

Voronin had the first chance of the game but his volley was tame and Cerny saved comfortably.

Minutes later, Ryan Babel side footed weakly from a difficult angle as another chance went to waste.

Dimitar Berbatov had Tottenham‘s first chance testing Reina with a powerful close range header from Jamie O’Hara’s corner.

Tottenham made two changes at half-time, with Tom Huddlestone and Teemu Tainio coming into proceedings.

But Liverpool continued to create the better chances and Torres should have done better when one on one with Cerny, but the Spaniard blasted his shot straight at the legs of the Tottenham keeper.

Soon after, Steed Malbranque went close with a left foot volley which was deflected into the side netting for a corner.

Liverpool did eventually break the deadlock after 69 minutes through Voronin, who latched onto Torres’ flick-on to beat Cerny from close range for 1-0.

Tottenham were almost level a few minutes later but Jose Reina pulled off a wonderful save from Berbatov’s half-volley.

But Torres made it 2-0 with a fine individual effort to secure the points for Liverpool.

Picking the ball up on the edge of the area, he shaped to go one way before dragging the ball the other and from a tight angle he coolly slipped the ball past Cerny to score his 33rd goal of the campaign.

And 33 could have been 34 had his chip late-on been a couple of inches lower with the Liverpool striker hitting the crossbar late-on.

It could have got worse for Spurs, but Cerny saved Alan Hutton from conceding an embarrassing own goal.

Rafa Benitez: “We knew we had a lot of supporters here and we wanted to win for them.

“We created a lot of chances and could have scored more goals. The first half was frustrating but the second was much better and we deserved the victory.

“Gerrard and Torres are good players and they have a great understanding, but you have to credit the whole team.

“You know when you sign a player like Torres you will get goals and you expect that but this season he has been amazing. He has been fantastic.”

Tottenham: Cerny, Hutton, Dawson (Bent 75), Woodgate, Gilberto, Malbranque, Jenas (Huddlestone 46), Zokora, O’Hara (Tainio 46), Berbatov, Keane
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Chimbonda
Booked: Hutton

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Kuyt (Lucas 80), Gerrard, Mascherano, Babel (Benayoun 59), Torres, Voronin (Finnan 71)
Subs Not Used: Itandje, Hyypia
Booked: Insua

Att: 36,063
Ref: Uriah Rennie (S Yorkshire)