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There is no respite from the early Anfield torment for Joe Cole. His debut against FK Rabotnicki refused to yield a deserved goal, his Premier League bow for Liverpool produced the first red card of his career and last nighttonight he missed his first ever penalty as Roy Hodgson’s team gained a slender advantage over Trabzonspor.

The Liverpool manager took Fulham to last season’s Europa League final largely on the back of resilient away displays, and another will be required on the Black Sea coast next week to qualify this time out. Cole may just be glad of the break.

Hodgson has shown no inclination to alter anything tactically from the Rafael Benítez era during his four matches in charge but, in a radical departure from his predecessor in the Anfield dug-out, the manager was prepared to take a look at Ryan Babel in a forward’s role against the Turkish side. It is now or never for the Dutch international in terms of establishing himself at Liverpool, and it is only because proposed transfers have failed to materialise that he is still present at Anfield.

Whether he offered enough tonight to suggest he could have a future remains to be seen, but for once there was an end product. Babel, still only 23, was signed for £11.5m from Ajax in 2007 on the back of a starring role in Holland’s triumph in the European Under-21 Championships of that summer. His rise to prominence in that tournament, where he was named man of the match in the final against Serbia, came as part of the Dutch attack but that role has rarely been made available to Babel at Liverpool and his confidence, form and contribution has waned as a consequence.

Attempts to mould him into a left-sided forward have failed and only a reluctance to join Birmingham City in January, from both the player and Benítez,a refusal to sanction a loan move back to Ajax by the club and a failure to attract a decent transfer fee have kept him at the club. With Hodgson continuing the search for an affordable back-up option to Fernando Torres, Babel took his one chance to demonstrate he could be the willing reserve if all else fails.

Trabzonspor, who beat Fenerbahce in the Turkish Cup last season to qualify for the Europa League play-offs and lifted the Turkish Super Cup last month, proved awkward opponents and threatened early at set-pieces. Liverpool’s first half display was littered with careless, misplaced passes as a shuffled side – with Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel and Dirk Kuyt all rested from the team that started against Arsenal on Sunday, plus Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger injured – understandably struggled to gel. Christian Poulsen, the recent £4.5m acquisition from Juventus, was handed a debut alongside Lucas in central midfield.

With one incisive break, however, Babel rewarded his manager’s faith and Cole demonstrated his value as a number 10 in the truest sense. Collecting possession just inside the Liverpool half, Cole spun into space and dissected the Turkish defence with a well-timed pass that sent the Dutchman clear on the left. Babel produced the finish the move deserved, stroking the ball right-footed beyond Onur Kivrak and inside the far corner.

Babel failed to reappear for the second half but his replacement gave Anfield no reason to dwell on the reasons why. The introduction of Torres lifted the crowd and Liverpool’s performance in tandem. Trabzonspor, like many before them, appeared visibly unnerved by the marauding Spaniard, and his impatience after so long out through injury was apparent.

Torres tested Kivrak with his first touch, a powerful, angled drive, forced another good save with a towering header and helped Liverpool win a penalty in the 51st minute. Serkan Balci, the visiting right back, got a toe in the way of Torres’s run into the penalty area but over-reached for the loose ball and tripped Lucas as the Brazilian darted into the box. Cole was urged forward to take the spot-kick but, instead of making amends for his red card against Arsenal, shot too close to the Trabzonspor goalkeeper and saw his effort saved.

José Reina did get his costly mistake from Sunday out of his system at the first attempt when he denied Umut Bulut a precious away goal when the Trabzonspor captain was unmarked in the area. The visitors continued to threaten, ominously for next week’s second leg, but Liverpool believed they should have had a second when Sotirios Kyrgiakos headed Milan Jovanovic’s corner goalwards, Cole flicked on and Poulsen converted on the goal-line after Kivrak fumbled. Sadly for the Dane, he was deemed offside.

Europa LeagueLiverpoolAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk