Liverpool striker Robbie Keane scored twice in Saturday's 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion as the Reds moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
After losing at Tottenham on their last league outing and requiring a hugely generous penalty decision to scrape a late draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, Liverpool were under pressure to return to their early season dominance.
Keane, in particular, was under the spotlight, without a league goal since his 20.3 million pounds move from Tottenham and with critics pointing to the absence of Fernando Torres as a major obstacle in Liverpool's attempts to land silverware.
How the Irish international striker answered those critics with his first league goals for Liverpool before Alvaro Arbeloa added a third, curling in from a Javier Mascherano pass in the 93rd minute.
Yet Torres, out for a month since injuring his hamstring playing for Spain at the start of October, was brought on as a 72nd-minute replacement for Keane. And with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez seemingly against the idea of playing two men in an orthodox forward line, Keane faces a tough battle to establish himself in the starting line-up despite his current form.
It had been a patient opening from Liverpool in which they dominated possession, establishing a pattern of play they would quickly turn to their advantage.
Steven Gerrard and Keane both tested Scott Carson with early long shots and Jonas Olsson made a superb covering tackle on Albert Riera.
A goal to the good, complacency now seemed Liverpool's biggest opponent, certainly it was when Pepe Reina gave away a corner after almost fumbling Ishmael Miller's cross into his own goal.
But, from the resulting corner, Liverpool and Keane doubled their tally. Mascherano's outlet pass allowed Fabio Aurelio to spot Albion's defence struggling to back pedal.
The perfect pass found Keane, in full stride, who rounded the advancing keeper and slotted home the ball with confidence.
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