Carragher says Torres can come good at Chelsea

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher insisted Fernando Torres could yet be a success with Chelsea after helping spoil the striker's debut for his new club in a 1-0 victory for the Reds here on Sunday.

The Merseysiders' win came just days after Spain striker Torres left Liverpool for Chelsea in a British record £50 million move, claiming the Blues were better placed to claim major honours.

But Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles's 68th minute goal -- scored moments after Torres was substituted -- gave Liverpool a fourth straight win, all without conceding a goal, and took them up into sixth place, just six points behind Chelsea.

By contrast, defeat for Carlo Ancelotti's men saw champions Chelsea fail to capitalise on Premier League leaders Manchester United shock 2-1 defeat by strugglers Wolves on Saturday.

It also all but extinguished their hopes of a successful title-defence, with the Londoners 10 points adrift of top spot.

"Good players come and go," Liverpool born Carragher, a one club man, told Sky Sports.

"Fernando is one of the best strikers in the world and I'm sure he'll prove that for Chelsea but he's not with us now. We've got to focus on our own team, do our own jobs and that's what we did," the veteran defender added.

Meanwhile Liverpool caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish rejected suggestions Torres's presence in the Chelsea team had spurred his side on.

"The players approached it professionally," he said. "I don't think (Torres' presence) was any incentive.

"The incentive for us was to get three points and we did. Whatever someone else wants to do with their life is up to them.

"I came here to win three points and it would have made no difference if Carlo Ancelotti was playing up front, I'd still want the three points. The personnel of the opposition is not important to me."

He added: "To be honest, he (Torres) had one shot on target and Jamie Carragher made one great block tackle on him, but I'm not here to talk about other people's players, I'm here to talk about my own players."

Victory continued Liverpool's revival and Carragher, while respectful of the work of sacked boss Roy Hodgson, under whom Liverpool flirted with the relegation zone, said: "Things have improved now and Kenny coming has got everyone onside.

"The results are obviously going very well. If you're asking me, obviously I'd love him to be the (permanent) manager."

For his part Dalglish refused to be drawn on his future and praised American owners the Fenway Sports Group, headed by John W Henry, for providing him with the funds to bring forwards Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez to Anfield on the back of the transfer window exits of Torres and Ryan Babel.

"My concern is the Wigan match next week," said Dalglish. "The owners have been fantastic in their support during the transfer window," the former Scotland striker, widely regarded as Liverpool's greatest player, said.

Turning to the team's recent form, Dalglish -- who in his first spell in charge became the last Liverpool manager to guide the north-west side to the English title, in 1990 -- added: "That's four clean sheets on the bounce which is really important for us. And four victories."

Ancelotti refused to make too much of penalty appeals that went against his side, the Italian saying: "We did not play well. Our performance was not good enough to win this game.

"Liverpool defended very well and we were not able to find the space."