Liverpool notched-up their third win of the season on Saturday defeating newly-promoted Burnley. First-goals from Benayoun and Kuyt made the game safe before the break, before the Israeli midfielder grabbed two more on his way to a hat-trick. Fernando Torres played for 75 minutes of the Red’s win before being replaced by French striker David Ngog.

Burnley had a couple of good attacks early-on as the visitors looked to take the game to the Merseysiders. The Clarets though failed to find a way through the Liverpool defence who had Skrtel back from injury.

After what had been a bright start, Owen Coyle’s team struggled to get a foot on the ball. The game was barely ten minutes old as Liverpool were now firmly in control.

Fernando Torres almost found the far corner with an exquisite right-footed shot to give the Reds the lead. The striker’s curled effort had Jensen in the Burnley goal scampering, but the ball flew just wide of the upright.

The Anfield club finally found a way through just before the half hour mark. Yossi Benyanoun collected a Glen Johnson pass and nut-megged Burnley’s Graham Alexander before placing the ball past Jensen in the Claret goal.
Liverpool extended their lead on 41 minutes. The Burnley keeper could only parry a Yossi Benayoun shot and the Dutchman was on hand for a simple tap-in.

The visitors tested Reina with two efforts just before the half-time whistle. The Spanish goalkeeper was forced to tip a Patterson shot over for a corner, before saving Carlisle’s header from the resulting corner.

The Reds continued to look lively after the break as Torres sprinted towards the box after a good piece of skill on the byline. The striker’s run however was abruptly ended by Stephen Jordan who earned the game's first booking for his foul on the Spaniard.

The Liverpool number ‘9’ had a hand in his club’s third of the afternoon on 61 minutes. Fernando Torres found Steve Gerrard in space who in-turn squared the ball back for Benayoun to pass into the empty net.

Steve Gerrad struck the post for the Reds but it was Yossi Benayoun who was to grab the headlines with a hat-trick. The midfielder broke the offside trap before beating Jensen for a third time.


- Match Stats: Liverpool 4-0 Burnley

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson (Degen, 63), Skrtel, Carragher, Insua, Gerrard, Lucas, Kuyt (Voronin, 69), Benayoun, Riera, Torres (Ngog, 75)

Goals: Benayoun 27, 61, 82, Kuyt 41

Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Jordan, Alexander (Gudjonsson, 75), Blake (Eagles, 57), McCann, Elliott, Steven Fletcher, Paterson (Nugent, 69)

Booked: Jordan, Eagles