DERBY match-winner Fernando Torres has hailed unsung heroes Robbie Keane and Dirk Kuyt for providing him with the chances to defeat Everton at Goodison Park.
The Spanish striker, who netted 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield, took his tally to three for the new campaign thanks to his brace on Saturday and was only denied the first Merseyside hat-trick for 26 years by what seemed to be a fussy Mike Riley call when Kuyt was adjudged to have committed a foul.
But while the Dutchman, who was Liverpool’s two-goal hero in last season’s Goodison derby, has not netted in the Premier League for 10 months and Torres’s £20million strike partner Robbie Keane has failed to register in 14 games including friendlies since arriving at Anfield, Torres insists their efforts are crucial when it comes to his own chances.
Both Kuyt and Keane were part of the moves for each of Liverpool’s goals against their neighbours and the Spaniard is delighted with their contribution.
He said: “It is very simple – without Robbie and Dirk, the goals I scored would not have been created.
“They were involved in both goals and it is because they give everything for the team that I was able to score them.
“If you look at my first goal, the ball that Robbie crossed in was perfect and so was the run by Dirk which took the Everton defenders away and gave me a clear chance.
“It is always nice to score, but without my team mates it would not have been possible.”
Keane is currently enduring his longest barren streak since the start of a campaign with 10 competitive outings without a goal.
However, Torres is happy with the Irish international’s progress.
He said: “It is not always easy to form a new partnership but we are working hard in training all the time and it was good to see that work pay off on Saturday.
“Robbie was very important for our victory and I am sure that very soon it will be him who is getting the goals because he is a great player.
“Once he gets his first goal even more will follow because sometimes you just need to relieve the pressure with one goal.
I have not been scoring for six games, which is too long for a striker. But when I got one on Saturday the other one followed almost straight away and that is often the way it happens.”
The Spanish striker, who netted 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield, took his tally to three for the new campaign thanks to his brace on Saturday and was only denied the first Merseyside hat-trick for 26 years by what seemed to be a fussy Mike Riley call when Kuyt was adjudged to have committed a foul.
But while the Dutchman, who was Liverpool’s two-goal hero in last season’s Goodison derby, has not netted in the Premier League for 10 months and Torres’s £20million strike partner Robbie Keane has failed to register in 14 games including friendlies since arriving at Anfield, Torres insists their efforts are crucial when it comes to his own chances.
Both Kuyt and Keane were part of the moves for each of Liverpool’s goals against their neighbours and the Spaniard is delighted with their contribution.
He said: “It is very simple – without Robbie and Dirk, the goals I scored would not have been created.
“They were involved in both goals and it is because they give everything for the team that I was able to score them.
“If you look at my first goal, the ball that Robbie crossed in was perfect and so was the run by Dirk which took the Everton defenders away and gave me a clear chance.
“It is always nice to score, but without my team mates it would not have been possible.”
Keane is currently enduring his longest barren streak since the start of a campaign with 10 competitive outings without a goal.
However, Torres is happy with the Irish international’s progress.
He said: “It is not always easy to form a new partnership but we are working hard in training all the time and it was good to see that work pay off on Saturday.
“Robbie was very important for our victory and I am sure that very soon it will be him who is getting the goals because he is a great player.
“Once he gets his first goal even more will follow because sometimes you just need to relieve the pressure with one goal.
I have not been scoring for six games, which is too long for a striker. But when I got one on Saturday the other one followed almost straight away and that is often the way it happens.”
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