Torres is set to make his debut for the Barclays Premier League champions in tomorrow's much-hyped meeting with the club he controversially quit on transfer deadline day, Liverpool.

Having been rated by many as the the world's number one centre-forward during his first two seasons at Anfield, the 26-year-old endured an injury-hit 2010, which saw him struggle to maintain that level of performance.

He was widely regarded as a passenger during Spain's World Cup triumph and appeared disinterested in the eyes of some observers during Roy Hodgson's doomed Liverpool reign.

Torres insists he was always fully committed to the Anfield cause and that any dip was due to a lack of match fitness and confidence.

The appointment of Kenny Dalglish as manager provided a boost in the latter department and Torres' last four games for Liverpool saw him net three times.

The £50million man said: "In the last two months, I've been playing, if not at my best, close to my best.

"I expect to be a bit better for the rest of the season. Last year, was difficult with two surgeries on my knees.

"I needed time to recover. I did."

Manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to decide today whether to throw Torres in at the deep end against his former club or start him from the bench.

It is a similar story for Torres' ex-team-mate Jamie Carragher, who was an unused substitute in Liverpool's midweek win over Stoke after two months out following shoulder surgery.

A lifelong Reds fan, Carragher this week refused to pander to the shirt-burning brigade by insisting he held no grudge against Torres for jumping ship.

Torres said: "Hopefully I can play, and he can too.

"I would like to play against him because he's a top player.

"I like playing against the best, as I liked to play against (John) Terry and (Rio) Ferdinand.

"I'm expecting a hard game. I know he's a big Liverpool fan. As a footballer, I'm sure he understands my decision.

"Plenty of my ex-team-mates have congratulated me for this move."

Torres asked to leave Liverpool as soon as he learnt of Chelsea's interest.

But he insists he would have been happy to stay had no-one come in for him.

"I was a Liverpool player and, if no one wanted me, I'd have played happily," he said.

"It's been a very tough season. You know the progress has not been the best, they've had problems with the old owners and are in a difficult moment, but I helped the team and did my job all the time."

Asked if it had been more of a wrench leaving boyhood idols Atletico Madrid three and a half years earlier, he added: "It was different leaving Atletico.

"I left my home, my house, my friends, my family, for a new league and a new country. But I can't tell you which was more difficult."

While Ancelotti may ease Torres in from the bench tomorrow, he admits it makes no sense to spend £50million on a long-term substitute.

"We bought Fernando obviously because we want him to play for us," he said.

"Not just this game, though. There are a lot of games in his future and he will score a lot of goals."

Insisting he would have no fears about unleashing the striker on his former club, Ancelotti said: "It wouldn't be an emotional decision.

"He doesn't have a problem playing Liverpool. He has the knowledge to manage with this kind of game."

Torres' arrival has cast doubt on the Stamford Bridge future of Didier Drogba, who turns 33 next month.

But former AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti said: "(Filippo) Inzaghi played well until 37 and he scored two goals in the final of the Champions League when he was 35.

"I like good players. It doesn't matter if they're old or young."