- Average age of the Liverpool starting lineup: 25.52
- Average age of the Reading starting lineup: 25.59
Captain Steven Gerrard paid Torres the ultimate compliment after his performance: "He reminds me of Ian Rush. I know Rush was a great striker and as captain I don't want to put too much pressure on him in terms of goals. But Rushie got a lot of credit for working hard for the team, tracking back and not giving defenders a minute on the ball. And that's what Fernando does. If we keep on delivering through-balls and good service, he has already shown what a great finisher he is.
He got murdered (by Andre Bikey and Michael Duberry) all night and kept coming back and coming back. His goals were great, but the best thing about him was his attitude. I knew he was quick, but what surprised me was his work-rate and attitude."