Fernando Torres swept Liverpool back into the top four of the Premier League, on a night when the Kop made it clear they wanted the club's American owners to leave Anfield.

Torres, the shining light of Liverpool's season, became only the fourth player in the club's history to score hat-tricks in successive home matches.

But despite moving above city rivals Everton, the dark cloud of the war for control of the club was never far away at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Before and at half-time fans all around the ground sung and chanted their anger at the American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Fortunately Rafael Benitez's players - and Torres in particular - gave the supporters something to take their minds off the behind-the-scenes turmoil.

The Spanish striker was declared fit despite missing training all week with a stomach bug, while John Arne Riise and Alvaro Arbeloa came in at the expense of Fabio Aurelio and Sami Hyypia, following Sunday's win at Bolton.

Julien Faubert, suffering with an ankle injury following Claude Makelele's tackle in Chelsea's 4-0 win at Upton Park on Saturday, missed out for the visitors - Nolberto Solano took his place.

Liverpool were on the attack from the start, with West Ham prepared to concede space and leave Carlton Cole on his own up front.

The visitors had a half chance when Robert Green's clearance was nodded down by Cole and only half-hit at Jose Reina by Mark Noble.

But Liverpool were more decisive and Torres put them ahead after eight minutes, having already sent a header just over from Dirk Kuyt's knock-down.

The Reds took the lead when Kuyt's low cross from the right was volleyed fiercely past Green by Torres from 12 yards.

West Ham should have equalised after 13 minutes when Luis Boa Morte was played in on the left, but from a tight angle his shot was hooked over his own bar by Arbeloa.

Liverpool were always a threat out wide, and West Ham struggled to deal with the resulting crosses.

The same applied to corners and after 29 minutes Steven Gerrard fired one in from the left which Martin Skrtel, arriving fast at the near post, headed onto the roof of the net.

Seven minutes later Ryan Babel fashioned a cross from the left and Gerrard's close-range effort was superbly turned round a post by Green at full-stretch.

Cole was booked after 39 minutes when his flaying elbow caught Xabi Alonso on the head, while West Ham survived at the back until the break.

The Hammers continued to live dangerously after the break and only a fine save from Green stopped Babel after Gerrard had cleverly played the Dutchman into the box.

The hosts got their second goal on the hour - with Kuyt again the provider.

The Dutchman's chipped cross from the left enabled Torres to neatly lift a header into the top corner from six yards.

West Ham's own fans started to chant for an extra striker, declared their own side "boring" and subjected Alan Curbishley's men to chants of: "It's just like watching Charlton."

Liverpool sent on Yossi Benayoun for Kuyt after 62 minutes, with West Ham replacing the injured Matthew Upson with Jonathan Spector.

Torres saw a diving header hit a post, with Green scrambling to pick up the ball as it rolled across the six-yard box.

The visiting fans finally got their two strikers when Bobby Zamora and Dean Ashton replaced Solano and Cole - but it was too late.

Torres completed his hat-trick after 80 minutes when he took a knockdown from Riise to sidestep his way into the six-yard box before rolling the ball past Green.

The Spaniard's goal tally now reads 24 in 33 matches - 12 of them coming from his last 11 games.

Gerrard capped the win two minutes later, blasting home the fourth goal with a blistering drive from outside the box, as Liverpool eased back above Everton in the table.

Teams:

Liverpool Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Babel (Pennant 76), Kuyt (Benayoun 63), Torres (Crouch 82).

Subs Not Used: Itandje, Hyypia.

Goals: Torres 8, 61, 81, Gerrard 83.

West Ham Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson (Spector 63), McCartney, Solano (Ashton 69), Noble, Mullins, Ljungberg, Boa Morte, Cole (Zamora 69).

Subs Not Used: Wright, Pantsil.

Booked: Cole, Neill, Noble.

Att: 42,954

Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).

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