Torres scored the decisive goal as Liverpool beat Sunderland 1-0

Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt has backed his fellow frontman Fernando Torres to carry his form from his debut season at Anfield into the new campaign.

Torres scored 33 goals for the Reds last season and Kuyt told BBC Radio Merseyside he expects the Spaniards' hot streak to continue.

"Fernando showed last year that he's maybe the best striker in the world.

"He doesn't need much to score a goal and you almost know before he shoots he will score."

Torres opened his league account for the season with the decisive strike at the Stadium of Light as Liverpool beat Sunderland 1-0 on Saturday.

Kuyt feels the Reds are now well placed to share the goal burden as they chase their first league title in almost 20 years.

"We work very hard as a team and you know we will progress every game and be better.

"We have a lot of quality in the team like Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and of course Torres so we know if we work hard, we'll get our chances and we have the ability to score in every game."

The team is getting better and better and the most important thing is to look at ourselves Dirk Kuyt

"I think we don't have to look to much to be teams like Manchester United or Chelsea or Arsenal, we just have to look at ourselves.

"If we can just win our own games the gap will be closer.

"The team is getting better and better and the most important thing is to look at ourselves."

New signing Andrea Dossena made his Premier League debut in the win at Sunderland and has also received Kuyt's backing.

"He did well but he had already showed his quality in pre-season.

"He still needs to grow into his role but I think he played really well."