The 4-0 win over West Ham sent Liverpool back into the Premier League top four and saw Torres score his second hat-trick in successive home games, with his overall total for the season now 24 goals in 33 matches.

Consecutive home hat-tricks have not been achieved by a Liverpool player since 1946, and only four players in their history have managed such a feat.

"Fernando is frightening. From the opening home game of the season to Chelsea when he scored a cracker, he has been consistent all the way," said Gerrard.

"He got off to a good start then and now he has hit 18 Premier League goals, the first person to do that here since Michael Owen. So far so good and hopefully he can continue like this right to the end of the season.

"He has pace, power and is very direct but the most important thing for us is his work rate. He hasn't come here as a star, he is chipping in with his work as well and when you get that from a player as well you cannot ask for much more."

But the true achievement after three straight league wins was that the demanding standards set out by Gerrard in his angry interview last week are at last being met by the inconsistent Anfield side.

Gerrard, who took his own tally for the campaign to 18 with the fourth against the Hammers, said: "I know I called for an improvement recently and the way the performances have gone I am obviously pleased.

"We were all disappointed with the inconsistency at home but against West Ham we started to put that right.

"It was a good team performance, I said well done to all of them. But we have another big game on Saturday and we must keep doing this right to the end of the season.

"There is still a lot of pressure on us to get fourth place. This is now a massive month for us, it will be tough all the way now.

"It is important for us to continue our league form. We have won the last three and if we can beat Newcastle on Saturday we will be able to focus on a huge game away to Inter Milan on Tuesday. That's so important for us now."

Torres has already eclipsed the top scorers at Liverpool over the last four campaigns.

Last season it was Peter Crouch (18) and previously Gerrard (23), Milan Baros (13) and Michael Owen (19) topped the list.

Owen's two hauls of 28 in both the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons are now Torres' next targets.

Whether he can get anywhere near the levels of Robbie Fowler, who hit 31, 36 and 31 in successive campaigns in the mid-90s is doubtful.

But on current form even that is not impossible for the 23 year-old Spaniard, who has scored 12 in his last 11 league games.

He was informed after the game his double hat-trick at home was last achieved by Jack Balmer 62 years ago, prompting him to say: "I only learned of the record after the game and it is a big honour for me.

"This club has a wonderful history so to be a part of that is very special and it is something I am very proud of.

"But it is also a record for everyone at the club because it would be impossible for me to score goals if it was not for my team-mates, the manager, the coaching staff, everyone."