Liverpool put behind them the midweek Champions League defeat with a comprehensive 4-0 demolition of struggling Blackburn at Anfield. The Reds had the perfect start when Fernando Torres scored the first of a brace with a spectacular strike after only six minutes.

The Spanish striker then headed a second just before the break to confirm their dominance over Rovers.

Blackburn held out until late-on but then conceded twice in the last seven minutes through Daniel Agger and substitute David N'Gog.

For Blackburn, relegation is still a threat and with little daylight between the club's at the bottom conceding four times could be critical if goal difference becomes the deciding factor.

Torres believes the result was the perfect response to last week's Champions League defeat to Chelsea.

"It was a great result coming after the game against Chelsea," Torres told Sky Sports.

"The last game wasn't good but we've done our job today.

"We have confidence after this result to go to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday."

Torres' first goal was a contender for goal of the season: "Sometimes you try to score like this but normally the ball goes out," he added. "But this one went in. It was a good goal."

Reds boss Rafael Benitez was delighted with the performance.

"We needed to play well and score goals and we didn't concede against a team good in the air so it's a very, very positive result," he said.

"I'm pleased we scored four goals and we were able to rest Gerrard and change some players towards the end.

Despite Daniel Agger and David Ngog adding two more goals in the last 10 minutes, Benitez added: "In the first half and the second half we had two or three very clear chances so we could have scored even more."