Mascherano hails Torres

Torres: 27 goals this season

GRAND SLAM SUNDAY

Watch the Premier League title race unfold live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1 on 23rd March.

First up Manchester United entertain Liverpool, kick-off 1.30pm, followed at 4pm by Arsenal's trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Coverage of Grand Slam Sunday gets underway at 1pm.

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Javier Mascherano believes Fernando Torres has proved himself to be one of the world's greatest strikers in his first season at Liverpool.

The Spaniard moved to Anfield from Atletico Madrid last summer and has gone from strength to strength, scoring 27 goals in total this term.

His recent form has been sensational and has given Liverpool every chance of securing fourth spot in the Premier League.

The Reds have also moved through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, and Mascherano claims Torres is as good as any forward in Europe.

"I think Fernando is on the same level as strikers such as Hernan Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta. He's showing that he's one of the best strikers in the world," Mascherano said in the News of the World.

Mascherano feels the future is bright for Liverpool, as he thinks other top players will be attracted to the club by Torres' exploits.

Powerful

He said: "He's powerful and he's scoring a lot of goals. He's good because sometimes players come from abroad and say they need time to adapt to the Premier League and a new country but he didn't need this."

"It's good for him and good for us. Others will want to come to Liverpool to play with him.

"Everyone is looking at Liverpool now and anyone who wants to fight for titles would be interested in coming here because we are always close to the Champions League title or in the final.

"We are a young team because we have players like me, Fernando, Ryan Babel and Lucas Leiva - that's good because we have four or five years in which to win titles.

"We have shown we are a good team. The fact Liverpool have been in two Champions League finals in three years is not coincidence. Now we want to get to the final again."