The worst fears of Fernando Torres and Liverpool were confirmed last night when the Spain forward was ruled out of action for at least a fortnight with a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Torres has only recently returned to action after missing six matches with a hamstring tear, but, still searching for full fitness, he aggravated the injury during Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Marseilles in the Champions League at Anfield on Wednesday. The problem did not become clear until after the game, as he complained of tightness in his hamstring, but the club confirmed last night that a scan had picked up a strain that will keep him out of action for two to three weeks.

Fábio Aurélio, the full back, faces a two-week absence with a calf strain suffered against Marseilles, but it is the news about Torres that is far more troubling for Liverpool. Although they have registered impressive victories over Manchester United and Chelsea without him in the Barclays Premier League this season - with the forward having started only half his team's 14 league matches to date - Liverpool are a far better team with Torres than without him. The only consolation for Rafael Benítez is that the Spaniard would expect to miss no more than three league matches - at home to West Ham United on Monday, away to Blackburn Rovers on December 6 and away to Hull City seven days later - and that, with qualification for the Champions League knockout stages secured, there is little riding on the final group match against PSV Eindhoven on December 9.

The absence of Torres will put more responsibility on Robbie Keane, who has yet to produce anything like his best form since his £20.3million summer move from Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have become the latest Premier League club to reduce ticket prices after the cut in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent. They have reduced the price of all match tickets at Anfield by £1, following the example of other clubs such as Everton and Newcastle United.