Liverpool talisman Fernando Torres blasted a late brace into the net of Chelsea at boiling  Anfield to secure that Liverpool are title contenders in this year's phenomenal Premier League edition. 

Anfield was becoming increasingly frustrated as the match seemed like it would only benefit Alex Ferguson as Liverpool and Chelsea headed for a draw.  El Nino, however, had different ideas – a below par season so far, marred by a long spell on the sidelines due to injury, finally brought the Spaniard back into the spotlight with what are arguably some of his most precious Liverpool goals to date. And, thanks to him,  Liverpool are now two points behind United, although they have played one extra game.  

A second-half blitzkrieg at the Kop end was the order of the day and Chelsea were in for a long afternoon. Dutch international Dirk Kuyt spilled the first opportunity to open the account for the Reds almost immediately after the match was resumed, when he sliced an effort wide following Alex's mistake.
 
Mascherano then floated a pass to Gerrard inside the area but, despite a superb knockdown from the skipper, Torres saw his goal-bound effort well blocked.
 
Liverpool continued exerting strong pressure over the visitors and Chelsea were lucky not to have a penalty ruled against them at 57 minutes when John Terry appeared to bring down Kuyt in the box, but Mike Riley remained silent.
 
Tensions all around Anfield were teaching maximum levels when finally  Liverpool were handed a huge advantage just shy of the hour mark when Frank Lampard was shown a straight red card. Lampard was given his marching orders for a foul on Xabi Alonso, a decision Chelsea protested against vehemently,  insisting he made contact with the ball first before bringing down the  Liverpool player but Mike Riley saw it as a brutal challenge.
 
The noise level at Anfield was suddenly magnified ten fold as chants  'attack, attack; attack, attack, attack' were reverberating across the ground as the Reds surged forward. 
 
Red skipper Gerrard saw his free-kick deflected to safety by the Chelsea wall after a dangerous foul was committed in the perimeter immediately outside the visitors' penalty area. Mascherano headed Carragher's cross just over before Alonso's curler cannoned off back off the crossbar.

This was a hard fought battle but not an equal one. Chelsea seemed to give Liverpool less trouble than Wigan, so they can't have serious complaints about the score-line after Liverpool dominated throughout, pushing the match almost entirely into and around the Chelsea penalty area.

Torres broke the deadlock a minute from time when he headed in a near-post cross from Fabio Aurelio, then set the seal on the win in stoppage time with a simple finish after substitute Yossi Benayoun had robbed Ashley Cole.

Rafael Benitez saluted Fernando Torres' double blast and admitted the striker's return to form could prove crucial in the remainder of the season. He was quoted by the Liverpool website as saying:
 
"I am really pleased with my players because we deserved to win," said Rafa. "When we were playing 11 against 11 I thought we the better team and then when they went down to 10 we had more control and we had more opportunities. "We got what we deserved when we scored near the end and we deserved to win. We were better than them."
 
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Alonso, Mascherano (Babel 83), Riera (Benayoun 74), Gerrard, Torres (Ngog 90).
 
Goals: Torres 89, 90.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou (Stoch 85), Anelka (Drogba 69), Malouda (Deco 69).