Liverpool went 1-0 down after nine minutes when Tuncay Sanli was given the freedom of the six yard box to head home a free kick unmarked. There was a whiff of offside about the goal but it was allowed to stand.
Liverpool went to pieces for the next twenty minutes with their passes failing to find team mates and Middlesbrough threatening a second on the counter attack.
Middlesbrough defender Julio Arca gave the Reds a lifeline after 28 minutes when he foolishly attempted to head the ball back to Mark Schwarzer from 30 yards out. Torres ran onto the ball, rounded the keeper and slotted home.
A minute later Liverpool were in front thanks to a finish of real quality. Torres received the ball 25 yards out from goal, turned and hammered home for 2-1.
Middlesbrough thought they were level before half time when Tuncay beat Reina from another offside position ignored by the linesman. However, the referee had spotted that Tuncay had scored with his arm so disallowed the goal and booked the Boro player.
Torres completed his hat-trick on the hour mark when Boro donkey David Wheater tried and failed to muscle the Liverpool striker off the ball. Torres saw off the donkey and then lifted the ball over the outrushing Schwarzer to make it 3-1.
The Smoggies pulled a goal back through Stuart Downing on 83 minutes but were unable to fashion an equaliser, especially after Jeremie Aliadiere was sent off for lashing out at Javier Mascherano.
Yossi Benayoun did have the ball in the net right at the end of the game but the goal was disallowed for offside after Steven Gerrard's free-kick was fumbled by Schwarzer.