Gerrard in a Rush to hail new Kop hero

This time it was Steven Gerrard drawing parallels with Ian Rush, further evidence of how the dashing young Spaniard has started to fire the imagination at Anfield.

His hat-trick against Reading in the Carling Cup on Tuesday was such an exhibition of precision finishing that an avalanche of praise was always destined to follow.

Torres has already found himself likened to Michael Owen, for his finishing and Kenny Dalglish for his poise and perception, but Gerrard may be closer to the truth when he speaks of the Rushlike qualities in his game.

'Ian Rush was a great striker and I don't want to put much pressure on Fernando as far as goals are concerned,' said Gerrard.

'But Rushie got a lot of credit for working hard for the team, tracking back and not giving defenders a minute on the ball — he's similar.'

Torres showed his wiry strength and courage, collecting bumps and bruises without complaint as Reading centre halves Michael Duberry and Andre Bikey struggled to ' bring the slippery striker under control by fair means.

And like Rush, when a chance came his way, he was lethal.

The performance at Reading, albeit against a second-string team in a second- string competition, will go a long way to proving Torres is worth the £26.5million Liverpool paid Atletico Madrid for him.

Few ever doubted his talent — he has dazzled in Spain for years — but there will always be the question of whether a 23-year-old with white boots, blond highlights and an Alice band has the power of body and mind to succeed in England.

Gerrard said: 'The most impressive thing for me was his attitude. A lot of strikers would get that treatment and go missing but he kept going back. It's something he's shown from the first day and that's what surprised me most.'

Torres said: 'I am really happy and I hope that there will be plenty more goals to come. My aim is to help my team to do well in all competitions.

'We all realise that we have let slip some points in our last two games and that we cannot continue to do this if we want to be in the title fight.'

And he said he is delighted to have claimed his first treble in English football in only his sixth start, adding: 'I can't really compare this hat-trick with the one I scored for Spain because they were scored in different circumstances.'

Just as his match-winning performance was sure to spark plaudits it was also certain to provoke a barrage of advice for Rafa Benitez, who has baffled onlookers by leaving Torres on the bench for the last two League games and refusing to guarantee him a start at Wigan on Saturday.

No sooner does he acquire a player who hints at a talent for emulating Rush's regular hauls of 30 goals a season and leading a title challenge than he indulges once more in his fetish for squad rotation.

Those tactics have staggered former Liverpool striker Ian St John, who said: 'Basically the boy is class. He just has the raw pace that is going to frighten the life out of defenders.

'How can you have a player that good sitting on his arse every week on the bench if you want to win the title? It's beyond me.'

Torres has six goals in six starts but Peter Crouch, who started up front alongside the Spaniard for the first time at Reading, knows all too well that a flurry of goals will not make you an automatic choice where Benitez is concerned.

Crouch said: 'The manager likes to chop and change the team but as long as it works, then I'm sure there won't be too many people complaining. It keeps every player hungry.'