Torres Adds A New Dimension To Liverpool

Rafael Benitez has a clearly thought-out line of argument for when he comes face to face with the men who own Liverpool for the first time in three months.

However much Tom Hicks and George Gillett might resent his public criticism of them, however much they would like Benitez to become a mere coach rather than Liverpool's general manager, however much they would like talk of transfer budgets to cease, there is one thing that cannot be questioned. Liverpool are now a better, more successful club than the Liverpool Benitez inherited.

There is one chink in that argument and to those who cram the Kop, or any other part of Anfield, it matters painfully. The last time a Liverpool player scored a league goal against Manchester United, Gerard Houllier was managing a club Hicks and Gillett would have been only very dimly aware of. That was a Danny Murphy penalty in April 2004 - you would have to go back to November 2003 for the last time Liverpool managed to score one in open play.

Apart from a solitary victory in the FA Cup, marred by Liverpool fans attacking the ambulance that was attempting to take Alan Smith, his leg horribly broken, to hospital, Benitez's greatest achievement in this fixture has been a goalless draw.

For a man who rolls over the minutiae of football constantly in his head, Benitez is, naturally enough, aware of the naked statistics. "The differences have been in small details," he said, describing the last encounter at Anfield, a game in which United were all but overwhelmed until a half-saved free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo was stabbed home by, of all people, John O'Shea.

Sir Alex Ferguson, knowing the title was virtually his, leapt into the arms of his assistant, Carlos Queiroz. The United players hurled their white shirts into the away end, and Jamie Carragher was asked what more Liverpool had to do. "We need better players all over the pitch," the defender replied, before grinning, "except at centre-half."

Carragher got his wish, at least at centre-forward. In Fernando Torres, Liverpool finally possess the kind of striker Anfield has not seen since Michael Owen left Merseyside for Madrid in the first few weeks of Benitez's regime.

"When we were playing against Manchester United, we tended to have plenty of possession but couldn't make the breakthrough because they had good defenders and we were not so strong in attack," Benitez reflected before adding: "Now we have Torres, a player with pace and ability, and he will be a threat to them.

"This is a better squad now and Torres is one of the reasons for that. It will still be difficult, because Manchester United have a very good team, but we have different options to use against them than we did before."

There were several reasons why Torres chose Merseyside. He had spent four seasons leading Atletico Madrid's attack; he was only 23 and in those long, largely fruitless campaigns only Samuel Eto'o and David Villa had scored more times in La Liga. Yet when Barcelona could go to the Vicente Calderon stadium and win 6-0, Torres recognised that, despite the adoration of so many fans, it was time to find a club where success was a little easier to come by.

He might have gone to Old Trafford; he could have ended up at Inter Milan, who offered Atletico £6 million more than the £24 million Liverpool paid. But neither of them spoke to Torres in his native tongue. "It was simple to bring him here, because my Spanish is much better than my English," Benitez smiled. "I just gave him a call. We knew a lot of top sides were interested. But he knew the club and he knew some of our Spanish players and he knew I wanted him. It was quite easy."

Torres discussed the move with goalkeeper Jose Reina, who is now a next-door neighbour in the Woolton area of the city, and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. He had the ability and the pace, but Benitez must have questioned whether this young, almost coltish, striker had the toughness for what is the most physically demanding league in the world.

"We did not expect 20 goals in his first season; we brought him to Liverpool so he could progress and offer us something different," Benitez said.

"Sometimes you have to wait to see the best of someone, and we were signing Torres for six years not six months. Some players take time to settle - it took Daniel Agger three or four months. Torres is a shy person, but he has confidence now."

It seems Torres' settling-in at Anfield is over. His goals against Porto and Marseille that helped secure Liverpool's qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages were sublime and, if he is going to score 20 in his first season by the Mersey, he now requires only another eight.

Benitez reflected that Torres had been signed "because the relationship with the owners was good" and, if it can be fully repaired, who knows who else he could bring to Anfield?