Babel has struggled to gain a regular first team place at Anfield

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has praised team-mate Ryan Babel for his contribution to the Reds' 3-2 victory over West Ham on Saturday.

The Dutchman was the provider of the cross which saw Torres score the winning goal at Upton Park.

"All of us know that Ryan Babel is a fantastic player," Torres told BBC Radio Merseyside after the game.

"Thanks to Ryan Babel I could score my second goal and thanks to him Liverpool won the game."

We have to keep winning games - that is the main thing Fernando Torres

Torres added: "He played on the right today. It was a fantastic cross and it was easy to attack the ball and head it.

"It is easy when the cross is like that. We have players with quality and they can do things like this."

The 25-year-old Spanish international says his team are not just happy at picking up three points as he believes they will be aiming to keep things tighter in defence.

The Reds have two clean sheets in Premier League this season against Stoke City and Burnley but Torres says they need to collect more as the season progresses.

"This is maybe the next target," he continued. "We have to keep winning games - that is the main thing.

"If we can get a clean sheet its good for the team and its good for Pepe [Riena]. We have to improve in defence and try get more clean sheets."

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