Torres magic wows Maradona

IF it’s good enough for Diego Maradona, it’s good enough for now – it may not have been a performance to go down in Anfield folklore but it keeps the adventure alive.

Liverpool's history is littered with stirring, come-from-behind victories in Europe, the sort that have captured the imagination from Bootle to Buenos Aires. Just ask Maradona - he became a fan of the club after one unforgettable evening in Istanbul.

Gracing Anfield with his presence last night, the greatest footballer of his and many generations arrived to run the rule over Javier Mascherano but ended up on his feet, acclaiming the performance of a modern superstar. Mind you, he had no other option.

To stand any chance of overhauling a first leg deficit against Lille, Liverpool were always going to need Fernando Torres to produce a moment of magic but, as is always the case with this man, he went one better than that.

His two expert strikes, coupled with Steven Gerrard's first half penalty, were more than sufficient for Liverpool to put their French opponents to the sword and seal a place in the last eight of the Europa League.

How things change. Last week the same 11 men that started this match looked on their knees when they boarded the plane to take them home after the first leg; now they are rubbing their hands at the prospect of future challenges.

Is there a club in the country capable of triggering such emotions? From the depths of despair to the highs of joy, Liverpool's rollercoaster campaign, say it ever so quietly, might yet end on a high - in Hamburg on May 12 - after all.

Yes, they will have to improve on the 90 minutes that saw them ease past Lille but, now they are into the quarter-finals of the Europa League, do you think many will start betting against them, given their recent pedigree?

Scoring seven goals in three days is the best possible preparation for Sunday's trip to Old Trafford and Liverpool simply must use the impetus from this display to set about achieving the two targets for which they are aiming; it would be careless if they did not.

Great European nights at Anfield have invariably started with an early goal and, in keeping with tradition, the breakthrough that those in the stands and on the field craved arrived as some supporters were still settling into their seats.

Would Lucas have played had Alberto Aquilani not been struck down with a stomach bug? Only Benitez knows the answer to that but the Brazilian seized the chance with which he was presented, bursting into the area to invite a rash tackle from Adil Rami.

There was never any question that referee Nicola Rizzoli would point to the spot and, with the minimum of fuss, Steven Gerrard sent Mickael Landreau the wrong way, sweeping his kick into the left-hand corner of the Kop goal with aplomb.

Sides more accomplished than Lille have buckled after going behind in the opening exchanges and the longer the game progressed, the more the suspicion began to grow that it was Liverpool's for the taking.

True, there were moments when Lille threatened to ruin the script - notably when Eden Hazard raced through only for Pepe Reina to inadvertently deny him with his head - but Liverpool were comfortable in the opening 45 minutes.

They should have gone into the break leading the tie, not just the game, but Torres missed an opening from a Dirk Kuyt cross that you would normally expect him to tuck away with his eyes closed.

No matter. Four minutes after the re-start, Ryan Babel's hoisted a clearance forward which the hapless Rami misjudged woefully to allow Torres a free run at goal; there was never any suggestion he would squander this chance.

Barely breaking stride, Torres lifted the ball over Landreau with great dexterity; it was the finish of a man operating at the peak of his powers, the kind only the very best in the business have the audacity to attempt.

In the wake of Chelsea's latest exit from the Champions League, it was perhaps inevitable that a story would emerge suggesting Roman Abramovich is prepared to dip into his reservoirs of cash in a bid to sign Torres this summer.

Delve as much as you want, Roman. No matter how big the offer, no matter how much money you want to pay him, there is no way he would entertain playing at Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis.

Torres may have spoken about his future to Spanish reporters last weekend, which led to his thoughts being reproduced in the English media but it is worth pointing out that a sizeable portion of his thoughts were omitted from what was published.

In the same interview, Torres spoke about the debt he feels to Liverpool and Benitez for giving him his chance; as Reina said on the eve of this match, nothing would give him more satisfaction than winning a major prize here.

As was the case against Portsmouth, Torres was terrific, every time he picked up possession and started running, panic spread amongst Lille's defenders; it was just so frustrating that he never got much chance to do it in the final 15 minutes.

Unsure whether to stick with the advantage they had established or twist and go for a third goal, Lille began to push forward and that led to anxiety building on the Kop and in the Main Stand, with cries of "Attack, attack, attack!" becoming more voluble.

Had the fates conspired against Liverpool, as they did when Fiorentina and Lyon visited earlier in the campaign, Lille might have profited from one of the long punts they hoisted into the 18-yard box but, for once, a happy ending was just around the corner.

Gerrard, with the bit between his teeth, moved forward with menace and cracked a shot that was too hot for Landreau to handle; once it had squirmed from his grasp, Torres was onto it in a flash to end the contest and guarantee himself an ovation.

Should he continue to have an appetite for destroying opposition defences, Liverpool's fortunes will undoubtedly soar - and the adventure that was in danger of derailing could continue for some time yet.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Agger (Kyrgiakos 90), Carragher, Insua; Lucas, Mascherano; Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun 80); Torres (Ngog 90 +1).

LILLE (4-5-1): Landreau; Beria, Chedjou, Rami, Emerson; Hazard (Vandam 86), Mavuba, Balmont (Aubameyang 70), Cabaye, Obraniak; Frau (Toure 58).

Bookings - Insua (42), Torres (73), Cabaye (80)

Attendance - 38,139

Referee - Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.