Yossi Benayoun scored the Reds' winner when he headed in a Fabio Aurelio free-kick from eight yards.
Torres' most painful miss came in the 32nd minute when Fabio Aurelio's cross found the striker unmarked in the box.
Liverpool peppered Price's goals with shots but the Derby goalkeeper produced a couple of excellent saves from Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso.
Alonso was stretchered off following that tackle and his replacement Lucas Leiva added a third goal in the 88th-minute when heading home Fabio Aurelio's free-kick.
Benitez defended the decision to restore Gerrard to the starting line-up even though the midfielder had to be replaced by Fabio Aurelio in the first half.
Instead, the Liverpool manager has opted to use regular central defender Daniel Agger on the left side of defence in the club's league games and Fabio Aurelio in Europa league matches.
The Reds are expected to make a bid for Birmingham right-winger Jermaine Pennant, 23, in the near future as they look to add to the new signings of Craig Bellamy, Fabio Aurelio and Mark Gonzalez.
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Lyon's Michel Bastos was pressed into emergency service at left-back for Brazil following an injury to Liverpool's Fabio Aurelio, and he demonstrated his attacking prowess with a low, angled drive that beat Foster but flew inches wide.
Fabio Aurelio's cross from the right curled to the far post for Jamie Carragher to head back across goal, where Ngog guided the ball with the outside of his right foot in off the keeper and the far post.
The home side were growing as a force soon after they went ahead when Fabio Aurelio's cross from the left was deflected to Meireles by the attempted headed clearance of Gohouri, and the Portuguese midfielder lashed a volley past Al-Habsi.
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