Club captain Steven Gerrard has hailed the current Liverpool side as the he has played in and is backing them to clinch a first Premier League title.
Rafael Benitez's side will start 2009 three points clear of the chasing pack following Sunday's 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle United and are well placed to win their first top-flight title since 1990.
Captain Gerrard, who scored twice at St James' Park, said: ''We have given ourselves a great chance. We have to remain consistent, that is the key.
''If we want to stay at the top and be involved in this title race, we have got to deal with the pressure.
''We have big players here and we will have a lot of tests and challenges to come, but if we keep playing like this then we will be there.
''This is the best team I have played with,'' said England midfielder Gerrard. ''You look around the dressing room and, from the keeper to the forwards, we have some fantastic players. There is a confidence that we can get over the big hurdles.''
Liverpool have won 18 League titles in their illustrious history but the last time the Reds were top of the Premier League at New Year they finished the season in fourth.
Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Alan Hansen is starting to believe his former club are serious title contenders.
''I have been tipping Chelsea for the championship all along, but the longer the season goes on the better chance that I think Liverpool have got,'' said Hansen.
''Certainly Liverpool have a better chance of winning than they had least season,'' he wrote in his column in The Daily Telegraph. ''They are more resilient than at the same time last season, they have more strength in depth and, crucially, they are able to create impetus and momentum.
''In the last month they have had three draws against lesser teams and it has not affected them. The most important thing is that they are not getting beaten.
''Mentally, the difference between drawing and losing is massive, even if the gap in points between winning and drawing is greater. As a title contender a defeat places unbelievable pressure on you, so it is when you lose two games in four or five that you find out what you are made of.
''This is where Manchester United and Chelsea have become brilliant; it is the aptitude test of a championship-winning side.''
Rafael Benitez's side will start 2009 three points clear of the chasing pack following Sunday's 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle United and are well placed to win their first top-flight title since 1990.
Captain Gerrard, who scored twice at St James' Park, said: ''We have given ourselves a great chance. We have to remain consistent, that is the key.
''If we want to stay at the top and be involved in this title race, we have got to deal with the pressure.
''We have big players here and we will have a lot of tests and challenges to come, but if we keep playing like this then we will be there.
''This is the best team I have played with,'' said England midfielder Gerrard. ''You look around the dressing room and, from the keeper to the forwards, we have some fantastic players. There is a confidence that we can get over the big hurdles.''
Liverpool have won 18 League titles in their illustrious history but the last time the Reds were top of the Premier League at New Year they finished the season in fourth.
Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Alan Hansen is starting to believe his former club are serious title contenders.
''I have been tipping Chelsea for the championship all along, but the longer the season goes on the better chance that I think Liverpool have got,'' said Hansen.
''Certainly Liverpool have a better chance of winning than they had least season,'' he wrote in his column in The Daily Telegraph. ''They are more resilient than at the same time last season, they have more strength in depth and, crucially, they are able to create impetus and momentum.
''In the last month they have had three draws against lesser teams and it has not affected them. The most important thing is that they are not getting beaten.
''Mentally, the difference between drawing and losing is massive, even if the gap in points between winning and drawing is greater. As a title contender a defeat places unbelievable pressure on you, so it is when you lose two games in four or five that you find out what you are made of.
''This is where Manchester United and Chelsea have become brilliant; it is the aptitude test of a championship-winning side.''
No comments:
Post a Comment