Steven Gerrard says Fernando Torres deserved to be named Liverpool's Player of the Year yesterday.

He said: "I enjoy playing alongside Torres, it is great to have him here and he has been player of the year hands down. His movement and runs are fantastic. Hopefully he can take this into next season.

"What has struck me about him, besides the goals, is his work rate and how much he is up for it.

"Usually when you bring in foreign players there can be a concern about whether they will be able to handle the physical side of the Premier League. How long are they going to take to adapt to the push and shove?

"But from the first game against Chelsea, he was all over their defenders, harassing them. If he gets kicked he's straight back up. He loves it! This is what has struck me most because I always expected him to get the goals."

Speaking to the club's website, Gerrard added: "He is a powerful boy, he doesn't go down. He is strong, has great character and works hard for the team. He is a great buy so far.