Why Torres is priceless

Ian Rush believes Liverpool would be in the top-four now had Fernando Torres been fit and available all season.

El Nino has scored 18 Barclays Premier League goals this season in just 21 games and the Welsh legend hopes he can fire Liverpool to a successful end of season conclusion.

"It's fantastic to score 18 league goals in just 21 games," Rush told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We know what a quality striker he is and I certainly think he could be the Premier League's top scorer if he'd been fit all season.

"He's been fantastic for us. I just wish he'd been available more this season because then I think we would have been competing more.

"I think Torres is one of the reasons Spain will be made favourites to win the World Cup. Playing alongside David Villa, having two strikers like that will make them a strong contender to win it.

"As a partnership, it's the best in the world. They're two special players."

The Anfield icon is also hoping Torres can keep up his love affair with the Kop for many more years to come and added: "If he can continue at the rate he has been, I think Fernando Torres will be up there amongst the legends of the club.

"The fans love him and he is providing them with what they want. He is scoring for fun and getting all different sorts of goals too.

"I think the fans have been waiting for someone like him to come along since the days of Robbie Fowler. If we can start winning things, that would turn Fernando into a true Liverpool legend."

Another magnificent brace against Sunderland last weekend added to his glowing list of amazing Liverpool goals and Rush admits he is a striker that could hold his own in any era of the game.

El Nino's amazing Sunderland goal>>

"People may say his first goal was a one off, but he tried something similar against Portsmouth and hit the bar," said Rush.

"I watch him very closely, and you could tell he knew exactly what he was doing.

"His second was a typical striker's goal. It was a great ball from Johnson to him and Torres waited and waited until the defender dived in.

"The art of a good striker is to wait as long as possible and know when to release the ball. The longer you wait, there is more chance of the defender diving in or the goalkeeper going down early. Once they've done that, it makes your mind up, but all that happens in a split second and you have to make a decision.

"Great players could play in any era. People have said the likes of Stanley Matthews couldn't have played in this era - but they could because they would have adapted.

"Of course I would have liked to have played alongside Torres, but for me I had the best strike partner in the world and I wouldn't swap Kenny Dalglish for anyone else. I'm sure Torres would love to have played alongside Dalglish too.

"Torres and Gerrard have a great understanding because they are world-class players."

Rush at his best>>