Liverpool remain top of the Barclays Premier League thanks to Robbie Keane's first two league goals for the club and a late Alvaro Arbeloa effort in their 3-0 victory over West Brom. Reds boss Rafa Benitez explained he reasons for substituting goalscorer Keane: "We needed to get Fernando Torres into the game, we needed his pace to complete the victory and maybe get the third.

"Fernando is not match fit, but we needed to get him into the action.

"We had some tired players out there, Robbie was trying hard but Fernando was important to us in the final stages."

It was Torres' first game after missing six matches with a hamstring injury, but it was Keane's contribution that pleased Benitez.

Benitez said: "I have always wanted to support Robbie, he has been playing and contributing to our victories.

"I have had no doubts that he would start to score regularly for us.

"Robbie has told me he has got a monkey off his back, not an expression I had heard before but I understand what he meant.

"Robbie has game intelligence and he is always a threat to defenders. It was only a matter of time before he scored in the league.

"He is quick and can punish any mistakes that defenders make, and that is what he did."