Torres joining in title talk ahead of Anfield bow

Aug 18 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

FERNANDO TORRES steps out for his Anfield debut tomorrow having been made aware of Liverpool’s determination to end their championship drought.

The club record £18million signing from Atletico Madrid is expected to return to the starting line-up for the visit of title rivals Chelsea.

Torres was on the bench for the Champions League qualifier win in Toulouse, but emerged as a late substitute for his first appearance in the competition.

After making his Premier League bow in the triumph at Aston Villa last Saturday, the 23-year-old is hoping to make it a hat-trick of debut victories should he play against Jose Mourinho’s side tomorrow afternoon.

And Torres is relishing the opportunity to experience first-hand the atmosphere of the Kop.

“Last Saturday was my Premier League debut and we came away with the win, on Tuesday it was the Champions League and we also won, and on Sunday I will walk out at Anfield for the first time to play a match,” said the striker.

“Everybody tells me that until I listen to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ inside our stadium it’s as if I’ve never really heard it properly.

“I almost get no time to enjoy each step I’m taking and it will be the same for the whole season.”

Torres admits playing regularly in the Champions League was a factor in his move to Liverpool.

But the Spaniard reveals it’s the Premier League that is preoccupying the thoughts of his new team-mates as the Anfield outfit aim for their first championship since 1990.

“The Champions League is the lucky competition for Liverpool,” said Torres. “It’s a tradition.

“But it’s curious that I come here thinking about the Champions League because it’s a special competition for me but in the team everybody is thinking about the Premier League.

“It must be because many of them won at Istanbul but they’ve never won the league. By the way, neither have I. The club hasn’t done it for 17 years and here everyone believes this could be the year.”

Tomorrow will be the 16th meeting between Liverpool and Chelsea since Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho took charge at the respective clubs three years ago.

Mourinho had vowed to tone down his barbs towards opposition managers this season, but couldn’t resist saying his Iberian counterpart is under the most pressure following his summer spending spree in excess of £40m.

However, Benitez said: “United and Chelsea were top of the table last season and have spent the most money in the last five years. The pressure is more on the teams who have spent the most money over the last five years.”

Florent Malouda, a former Liverpool target, will line up for Chelsea tomorrow following his summer move from Lyon.

Benitez admits the French winger was very close to moving to Merseyside, but refutes any suggestion the Anfield side couldn’t compete with the Londoners for the player.

“We try to sign players we think are good enough for us,” said the Liverpool manager. “Now in modern football it depends on the money, some players prefer more money and it’s something you cannot control.

“Malouda was one of our names but decided to go to Chelsea. He knows why. I don’t think it was because of the lifestyle in London. The money? I don’t want to say anything, but I know the answer.”

Steven Gerrard will lead Liverpool out tomorrow after receiving a pain-killing injection in his fractured toe, but is then expected to be sidelined for up to 10 days.

Otherwise, Harry Kewell (thigh) is the only notable absentee as Benitez rotates his squad again with Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger, Jermaine Pennant, John Arne Riise and Dirk Kuyt likely to return to the starting line-up.