Liverpool remained in touch with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table with a comfortable 3-1 win over Hull City on Saturday.

Having dropped two vital points against Arsenal last week, Liverpool were keen to make amends for the slip up and almost had a perfect start through Fernando Torres but Hull keeper Boaz Myhill was at hand to tip the Spanish striker's shot wide of the target.

Dean Marney almost grabbed a shock lead for Hull but his shot was cleared off the line by an alert Alvaro Arbeloa. Liverpool finally broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time from a set piece. Xabi Alonso smashed his free kick straight into the wall but let loose a stinging volley from the rebound to give his side the lead.

Hull's hopes of staging a comeback in the second half received a big blow as they were reduced to 10 men with Caleb Folan sent off for kicking out at Martin Skrtel. Dirk Kuyt applied salt to the wounds by doubling the lead four minutes later.

The hosts though struck back through Geovanni who latched on to Daniel Cousin's cross before slotting the ball past Pepe Reina in the 73rd minute. Just when it looked as if Liverpool could be in for yet another disappointment late in the game, Kuyt wrapped up the points with just a minute remaining as he latched on to Arbeloa's deflected shot to restore his side's two goal lead with just minutes remaining on the clock.