When Liverpool signed Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid in the summer for a record £26.5 million (although the player himself said to The Times that the transfer fee was £20 million) a number of doubters raised their eyebrows, lashed out their pens and predicted that Torres will be just another Fernando, an allusion to the failed Spanish import Fernando Morientes. But Torres’ 12 goals so far in Liverpool colors and his smooth adaptability to the pace of the English Premier League has exhibited that one of the most talented youngsters in Europe is a mature footballer too.

In the course of the last four and a half months, Torres has developed several admirers, many of them from the opposition camp, and one of those many is the Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz. The Portuguese confesses that he is a huge admirer of the 23-year old Spanish international striker and reckons that the greatest threat posed to Manchester United’s defense will be Fernando Torres. Manchester United confront Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Quieroz:

Torres is like an eagle. He can see spaces that others can’t see and he has the ability to penetrate these areas with or without the ball.

That analysis won’t be lost on the Man United players or on the manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Sir Alex is also said to be an admirer of Torres and shall certainly hatch a strategy that won’t let Torres get much ball supply from the midfield. Someone might be deployed to see that Torres is quickly closed down and that the Spaniard is muscled out of the game.

Torres has been in excellent form recently and scored a wonderful solo goal against Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. Torres has been pretty much consistent so far this season in Liverpool’s Reds and Queioz knows this. The former Real Madrid manager says that Torres could be one player who leads Liverpool to glory this season.

Queiroz:

Torres is doing really well and I am impressed with him. He is already going some way to making the difference for Liverpool this season. I think he’s a good finisher and he’s a player who gives Liverpool something completely different. Certainly we will have to be careful of him because he is dangerous. We are always confident in what we can do and we will not worry too much. But we do recognize his quality.

Fernando Torres is certainly being observed by the Manchester United unit as the biggest Liverpool threat on Sunday. But is he really that huge a threat? What about Steven Gerrard? Which Liverpool player do you think is most important for Rafael Benitez on Sunday against Manchester United?