Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has insisted he would not swap Fernando Torres for anybody, not even Wayne Rooney.
Manchester United's Scouse star has shot through the stratosphere with 32 goals already this season, a return which has led some pundits to dub him the best striker in the world.
However, Torres has reminded everyone of his claim to such a titile since returning from injury last month, with doubles against both Portsmouth and Lille during the week.
And while Benitez acknowledged Rooney's obvious quality, he was confident there is no-one he'd rather have leading the Reds' line than 'El Nino'.
“I don’t think I would swap Fernando [Torres] for anyone, not even [Wayne] Rooney, not really. Fernando is a fantastic player, so is Rooney too,” the Spaniard told a press conference.
“There’s no doubt Rooney is very, very good. But Fernando is our player, the fans love him and we want to keep him for a very long time.
“He has something that is very important. These players make the difference in these big games, and for us, Fernando is very important.
“If he had been fit all this season, then the gap to the top would have been smaller, that is clear. If Fernando is fit, he’d score in a lot of games.”
Torres and Rooney will duel this Sunday as Liverpool visit Old Trafford hoping to make it four wins on the trot against United.
The Reds may not be enjoying the finest of seasons, as symbolised by Steven Gerrard's unusually indifferent form throughout, but Benitez knows his big guns are capable of blowing away even the toughest opponents.
“We know we can match any team. We have players like Torres and [Steven] Gerrard - if they are fully fit they can change games and win games,” he added.
“Gerrard loves playing [Manchester] United and I think Torres does too. The top class players want to play against the top sides and against other top class players.
“Both will enjoy it hopefully and it will be a challenge for them.”
Manchester United's Scouse star has shot through the stratosphere with 32 goals already this season, a return which has led some pundits to dub him the best striker in the world.
However, Torres has reminded everyone of his claim to such a titile since returning from injury last month, with doubles against both Portsmouth and Lille during the week.
And while Benitez acknowledged Rooney's obvious quality, he was confident there is no-one he'd rather have leading the Reds' line than 'El Nino'.
“I don’t think I would swap Fernando [Torres] for anyone, not even [Wayne] Rooney, not really. Fernando is a fantastic player, so is Rooney too,” the Spaniard told a press conference.
“There’s no doubt Rooney is very, very good. But Fernando is our player, the fans love him and we want to keep him for a very long time.
“He has something that is very important. These players make the difference in these big games, and for us, Fernando is very important.
“If he had been fit all this season, then the gap to the top would have been smaller, that is clear. If Fernando is fit, he’d score in a lot of games.”
Torres and Rooney will duel this Sunday as Liverpool visit Old Trafford hoping to make it four wins on the trot against United.
The Reds may not be enjoying the finest of seasons, as symbolised by Steven Gerrard's unusually indifferent form throughout, but Benitez knows his big guns are capable of blowing away even the toughest opponents.
“We know we can match any team. We have players like Torres and [Steven] Gerrard - if they are fully fit they can change games and win games,” he added.
“Gerrard loves playing [Manchester] United and I think Torres does too. The top class players want to play against the top sides and against other top class players.
“Both will enjoy it hopefully and it will be a challenge for them.”
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