Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that striker Fernando Torres had let him know of his desire to play against Tottenham Hotspur in order to break former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of being the most prolific foreigner in his first season in England.

The Spanish international scored his 24th league goal during the 2-0 victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane on Sunday and became the highest-scoring foreign player in the Premiership in a debut season.

"We were talking about the record before the game. He wanted to play in this game and wanted to score,” said Benitez, who signed the 24-year-old from Atletico Madrid last summer in the Merseyside club’s record deal.

"Always when you sign a player it's difficult to know if they'll settle in the Premier League, but Torres is young and hungry. He wants to be successful for a number of years. He has shown all these things on the pitch.

"He is a good striker and there are a lot of good strikers in the Premier League. I don't like to say he is the best because other strikers have other skills, but he is the best for us."