West Ham came from behind twice in the first half but Torres headed past Rob Green with 15 minutes remaining to send Liverpool up to third in the Premier League.
Rafa Benitez’s team took the lead through Torres but were soon pegged back thanks to Alessandro Diamanti’s debut goal from the penalty spot.
Dirk Kuyt restored Liverpool’s lead but Carlton Cole equalised again just before half-time when he headed in from a Mark Noble corner.
Liverpool dominated much of the second half and although West Ham tried valiantly they couldn’t equalise for a third time after Torres had scored his second of the game.
Yossi Benayoun and Javier Mascherano started for Liverpool against their former side, alongside Torres who passed a late fitness test.
Gianfranco Zola welcomed back Valon Behrami after long-term injury and named 20-year-old Zavon Hines alongside Carlton Cole in attack.
The home side were first to threaten through Hines stole the ball from Jamie Carragher and released a shot which beat Pepe Reina but slammed against the post and away from danger.
Liverpool recovered well from their early scare and began to control possession. Their first chance came when Torres played Benayoun through however he could only shoot straight at Green.
Torres made no mistake after 20 minutes though, picking the ball up on the left-hand edge of the area before gliding past two West Ham defenders to put the visitors 1-0 up.
West Ham looked to be in disarray as injuries to Matthew Upson and Behrami forced Zola to make two substitutions.
However the Italian’s team rallied and deserved to draw level before the half hour. Carragher brought down the troublesome Hines as he burst past him in the area and Diamanti stepped up to take the penalty. The Italian slipped as he struck the ball but his effort looped into the top corner to make it 1-1.
West Ham looked to have Liverpool on the ropes but found themselves behind again when they allowed Gerrard a free header from Benayoun’s corner which fell for Kuyt to hook into the net.
But Liverpool’s lead lasted less than five minutes as they failed to learn from West Ham’s mistake and allowed left Cole unmarked to head in Mark Noble’s corner right on half-time.
Hines’ pace and determination continued to unsettle the Liverpool defence and Martin Skrtel did well to block Cole’s shot after the England international had made space for a shot on the edge of the box.
Liverpool began to dominate possession with Benayoun causing problems for West Ham on the left. The Israeli went on two mazy runs into the penalty area but failed to pick out Gerrard and substitute Ryan Babel who had come on to replace Kuyt.
Their pressure finally paid off with 15 minutes remaining when Torres powered a header past Green from Babel’s cross from the right.
West Ham almost equalised again when Cole headed Noble’s hoisted ball across goal for Radoslav Kovac to flick in, but Reina pushed the ball away as it headed for the corner and Liverpool held on to secure three points.
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