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The Big Interview

Fernando Torres can be the best forward in the world, says Graeme Murty

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Reading skipper Graeme Murty talks to us about Liverpool's revenge, having Arsenal run circles around Reading and trying to man-mark Cristiano Ronaldo

Reading's win over Liverpool means they have now played all the big four clubs, so we asked captain Graeme Murty his views on this weekend's Super Sunday:

You beat Liverpool last week. How do you think that might affect them?

I think you saw the answer to that on Tuesday night when they played Marseille. They were absolutely fantastic from the first whistle and were always going to get the result they needed. That's the measure of real top players that they can put a bad result straight out of their minds. It won't be different in the Premier League this weekend, whatever team they pick. You saw the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres piling forward in search of goals, completely single minded in pursuit of their aim.

Torres scored a hat-trick against you in the Carling Cup earlier in the season. What do you make of him?

I think he can go on to be possibly the best forward in the World. Honestly, he's got the lot. I was so impressed by him. He's got two good feet, is good in the air, is unbelievably quick. But all that wasn't what impressed me most, it was the way he stood up when we tried to get physical. I think their manager had a grumble about the way we approached that Carling Cup game, and maybe we did try to be a bit strong. But Torres himself never complained, never rolled around, never grumbled to the referee. He just kept getting up and hitting us where it really hurt by putting the ball in our net. A lot of foreign players take time to adjust to the physical side of the English game. That told me that he won't be one of them and as he gets more and more at home he'll be devastating.

People talked about the changes Rafa Benitez made against you . . .

That's another sign of their strength. Because they change things around the players know that when they do come in they will have to be at their absolute peak. Everybody wants to play all the time and the only way you can push yourself in is by performing when you get the chance. I think it will tell in the second half of the season when they will be fresher among the top clubs. I've got to own up that I'm a Liverpool fan so I'm biased but I really think they could stay in the title race all the way.

You talked about the character of Torres. What did you make of Wayne Rooney wanting to play in Rome and to be Manchester United's captain?

I think it's pretty obvious to everybody that Wayne Rooney is an outstanding player, but I didn't realise until I was on the same pitch what a fantastic leader he is as well. Even when he's not captain he is talking all the time, encouraging other people in the team and trying to be involved. I think because he's so determined and such a winner he demands the same standards from other people and it rubs off on them. I was impressed when I read about him volunteering to play in Rome and being so keen to wear the armband. It's another sign he's maturing.

It must be tough facing him, Tevez and Ronaldo?

We were fortunate that Tevez wasn't in the side when we went to Old Trafford on the first day of the season, but believe me Ronaldo is threat enough. We got a point out of that game but I think I needed my legs untied by the physio at the end! Again you know that Ronaldo has got the lot for talent, but his real quality is his attitude of mind. He loves having the ball at his feet, loves running at you, will go left or right, and however many times you get a tackle in he'll come back for more. He knows he's only got to get past once and he's won the game! It's a nightmare for defenders these days because you've only got to mis-time one tackle and you've got a yellow card and you daren't go to ground again.

You talked about leadership. What about John Terry as a captain?

I think Chelsea's strength among the four is they are perhaps the tightest group of players in terms of their team spirit, and that comes as much from John as from either Jose Mourinho or Avram Grant. If things aren't working out for them on a given day they look for answers within their own group. They are maybe playing a slightly different style of football but the dynamics of the group are the same, and Terry is unquestionably their leader.

Does that mean they might not miss Didier Drogba?

That's the big question, isn't it? He's obviously very important to the way they play and got one of the goals when we lost to them. But they have other threats so it doesn't necessarily mean they can't cope.

There's a big contrast in their style and Arsenal, still?

On every day of the season except the two when we play them I love Arsenal. Facing them is a nightmare. We do a training routine every day where we have four players keeping the ball against two in a small area. When it's your turn to be the two you chase around trying to get a tackle in. When you do you are so exhausted that you are almost always the first to make a mistake when you go back into being one of the four. Playing Arsenal is like that. They make you work so hard to get the ball back, and then you hope you can have a rest once you've got the ball. But you can't because you need to move even more to keep it from them. At times it seems like they have 14 players on the pitch. They are so different to everybody else because your back four might find themselves with nobody to mark. Then all of a sudden they are cutting you to ribbons with their passing and other players are pouring forward.

So who will win this Sunday's games?

Honestly, you can toss a coin. Each game will come down to a bit of luck or a piece of brilliance here and there.

OK, so who wins the title race?

That will be tight too. I think all four could stay in the hunt right until the last couple of weeks, which will be brilliant for the Premier League. It could be the best finish ever. As I said I'm a Liverpool fan so my heart says they'll win it. My head goes for Arsenal, though. I think it would be brilliant for that quality of passing and play to get its reward.

Thanks. We've got a free £50 bet in favour of a charity of your choice.

I'd like to back Steven Gerrard to score against Manchester United and I'm happy to take the Betfair price on that just before kick-off. He's scored in all but one of the last 11 games and he'll be bursting to keep that run going. He's still the player who drives them most. The bet will be in aid of the Royal Families, a charity my wife Karen is involved with along with all the other players' wives and girlfriends at Reading. They are trying to beat the £100,000 that they raised last season for local good causes, and every little helps!