Stevie backs 'world best' Torres

Steven Gerrard has slammed the 'completely over the top' criticism of Liverpool teammate Fernando Torres and backed him to prove he's the best striker in the world.

The Spaniard has struggled for form and fitness so far this season and faces a race against time to be fit for Sunday's Merseyside derby at Goodison as he recovers from a groin strain.

Torres has netted just once during a miserable start to the campaign for Roy Hodgson's men but Gerrard insists critics are wrong to point the finger at the frontman.

"It's all completely over the top," Gerrard said. "It's easy to watch a football match and, if the centre-forward doesn't score or pull a rabbit out of a hat, say his body language isn't right.

"If a player's form isn't there or he's fighting for full fitness after injuries it's normal that their body language isn't perfect. I'm the same. If I'm not playing at the levels I know I can, or if I'm struggling with an injury, people say the same things about me.

"The only time a centre forward's body language is 100 per cent right is when they're scoring in every game, that's the way they are.

"That's why players like that are the best in the world, because if they come off the pitch without scoring or producing a nine out of 10 or 10 out of 10 performance they're not happy."

Gerrard added: "You only have to look at Fernando's record since he walked through the door to know how good he is. He's had a bad time with injuries of late. He wasn't 100 per cent going into the World Cup and he had a lot of criticism over the summer but he'll bounce back.

"We all believe in him, he's our top man. He's a top player and he's our goalscorer. We all need to get behind Fernando and help him to get back to the form he showed in his first season here.

"On that form he's the best centre forward in the world."

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