ALONSO HAILS BRILLIANT TORRES

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Xabi Alonso today hailed Fernando Torres' explosive introduction to English football - and warned opposing defences his fellow countryman will only get better in the red shirt.  
Torres took his season's tally to three at the weekend with two goals in Liverpool's 6-0 thrashing of Derby as Rafael Benitez's side climbed to the top of the table for the first time in five years.
  
Alonso, who also netted twice in the rout, is delighted Torres has already lived up to his record transfer fee billing and insists the way he has coped with the physical demands of the Premier League bodes well for the future.
  
"I think Fernando is doing really well. He has settled into the Premier League very quickly and that is encouraging because it can be difficult coming into a new league. He has great pace, physical strength and hopefully he will score more goals now.
  
"He has shown he is not afraid of the physical contact here, with defenders trying to put him off, and that is really important.
  
"You can see he is not afraid. Defenders will realise that he is not scared and it is like a motivation for him. He seems to like the challenge of trying to come out on top and he is doing really well for us."
  
Manager Rafael Benitez insists he isn't surprised by Torres' early form in England and is just happy that each of his front men are contributing to the club's solid start to the campaign.
  
"We knew he had power and movement which would suit the Premier League," said Rafa. "He's scoring goals, playing well and his understanding with the others is really good.
  
"We already knew he was really strong and he will be even stronger in a few months as well. He's working really hard. When you talk of strikers you can have someone who gets 20 goals a season but is just waiting for chances. If you have someone who gets 15 but creates 10 or 15 for the others, it's better.
  
"I always prefer to have four, five or even nine different players scoring the goals rather than just one or two.
  
"It's easier for defenders if they know they just have to control a couple of players who are going to score.
  
"Having so many players is a problem but one I prefer to have rather than having to play with the same strikers all the time, because I have confidence in the others."