Everton 0-2 Liverpool: Robbie Keane yet to score first goal but still a hero says Steven Gerrard

It is almost a crime to suggest this, but let's forget for a minute the breathtaking performance from Fernando Torres that won the 208th Merseyside derby.

Okay,okay, practically impossible.

But after paying homage where it's due to the spectacular return to fitness and form of Liverpool's goalscoring genius, let's move swiftly on to matters of equal importance.

If Liverpool are to be serious title contenders, they will need a significant contribution from more than just Torres and Captain Fantastic Steven Gerrard.

Which is why we must examine the role of Robbie Keane in the dismantling of Everton at Goodison on Saturday.

He didn't score - again - and in truth never really had a chance to open his account for his new club.

Yet behind that bare statistic there was a wealth of evidence to suggest that Keane is beginning at last to show the quality required to help his new club become realistic contenders.

If Torres was chief executioner on Saturday, then it was Keane who sharpenedthe blade and placed the deadly weapon into his strike partner's hand.

Indeed, skipper Gerrard, who offered his own, hugely disciplined contribution to an impressive victory, was at pains to suggest afterwards that the £20million summer signing is beginning to blossom after a barren start to his Anfield career.

"I know that Nando was class today and showed how deadly he can be, but Robbie Keane was an equally genuine contender for the man-of-the-match award," said Gerrard.

"Hewasoutstanding, he did everything you could ask of him. He was a match-winner as much as Torres because they couldn't cope with his passing and movement.

"It is everyone else who is talking about Robbie's need to score, not us.

That doesn't matter in the slightest for us because he has been a match winner without scoring."

Those weren't just platitudes for the media after the delight of winning against the old enemy either. Gerrard meant what he said In fact, after the game he sought out Keane in the dressing-room,put his arm around the Irish striker and offered a heartfelt thanks for his efforts in winning the Mersyside bragging rights for a few month.

"We got in the dressing-room and I satbyhimandI just said you were magnificent.' He deserves that praise for such a great, unselfish performance "His passes for the two goals were from the top drawer, they were exactly what we are looking for from him. All you can ask from a player is hathe gives everything for the team and wins the game for you.Robbie is doing that job perfectly "We know there will still be talk about goals until he gets his first, but a goal is just around the corner for him. And when it comes, the first one will be the most important because you just know he'll go on a run and get a whole load more."

In fact, all Keane's performance was lacking was that elusive first goal. Everton couldn't live with his movement as he exploited confusion among the home side about who was supposed to be marking him.

His cross from the left for Torres's opening goal was exquisite and, as Gerrard said, handed the goal on a plate.

The pass to Dirk Kuyt that set up the second goal was even better, and he deserved the applause the visiting fans gave him when substituted right at the end.

Mind you, so did Torres. The Spaniard struggled a little at the start of this season but his finishing on Saturday was world class and it is hard to imagine there is a better centre-forward in Europe when he is on this form. As Everton defender Phil Jagielka explained afterwards, marking him is almost an education.

In fact, Everton are being given a few lessons this season.

Too often they allowed Liverpool too much space around the penalty area and allowed them to pass the ball too easily all afternoon. As an honest Jagielka admitted, the Blues were second-best.

"We can say that the grass was too green or the ball was too round but we were beaten by the better team - there are absolutely no excuses,"

he said.

"We are struggling for confidence right now, but only we can get ourselves out of this mess. We haven't started the season right, but we've now got two massive games against Liege and Newcastle in the next week, and two wins would set us up.

That's what we have to aim for."

Any examination of this game must end with just one word about the referee Mike Riley.

Rubbish.

God knows how he thought Tim Cahill's foul on Xabi Alonso deserved a red card. Or how he thought there was a foul before Torres scored a perfectly good hat-trick goal. Or how he saw Marouane Fellaini commit a foul before Jamie Carragher cleared from the line.

What is so worrying is that someone at the FA clearly rates Riley to keep giving him these high-profile matches. And that is as damning an indictment of that organisation as you can get.

YOU THE MANAGER Man Of The Match (Worth an extra two Fantasy League points) 8 Fernando Torres (LIVERPOOL) A bit obvious, I know. But the hat-trick he was denied was richly deserved

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH Mike Riley 4 Sir Alex Ferguson is right about this clown of a ref who clearly has never played a game of football in his life

Everton:Howard 7, Hibbert 6 (Saha 64, 6), Yobo 5, Jagielka 7, Lescott 5 cott 5, Neville 6, Arteta 5, Fellaini 6, Osman 5, Cahill 7, Yakubu 4.

Liverpool: Reina 6, Arbeloa 7, Carragher 6, Skrtel 7, Dossena 4, Kuyt 6, Gerrard 8, Alonso 8(Lucas 86), Riera 6 (Aurelio 67, 5), Keane 8 (Pennant 86), Torres 9. Goals: Torres 59, 62

Referee: Mike Riley ATTENDANCE: 39, 574.

EVERTON v LIVERPOOL: LIVERPOOL IN CONTROL

BALL POSSESSION

39% EVERTON 61% LIVERPOOL

FACE TO FACE

7 Corners 4

3 Tackles 1

69% Pass completion 81%

27 Tackles 13

22 Fouls 21

1 3 Tackles 1

SHOTS

4 off target 5

0 on target 5

ANORAK Torres was robbed of the first hat trick in this fixture since Ian Rush scored four at Goodison in 1982

NEXT THREE GAMES

Everton Thurs: Standard Liege (a) UEFA Cup Sunday: Newcastle (h) Prem Sat Oct 18: Arsenal (a) Prem

Liverpool Weds: PSV Eindhoven (a) Chmp Lge Sun: Man City (a) Prem Sat Oct 18: Wigan (h) Prem

Listen to Rafa Benitez' post match interview HERE .

Listen to David Moyes' post match interview HERE .

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