Gary Ablett believes Liverpool have to adopt an air of invincibility if they are to end their 19-year quest for a league championship.
Ablett played in the last Liverpool team to win the title - which was then Division One - in the 1989-90 season.
The 43-year-old remembers how that squad, managed by Kenny Dalglish, felt they were unbeatable during their run to a record 18th championship and believes the 2009 generation have to do the same.
In their last three matches they have beaten Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United and Aston Villa in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals in the process.
Ablett reckons those performances could prove pivotal to the outcome of Liverpool's campaign.
"If you go back to our championship-winning team we went out with a feeling we couldn't be beaten," he said.
"The three results of late will hopefully have given us confidence to take through to the end of the season and it would be nice to see the same result as 1989-1990.
"I'm sure Rafa will give them the benefit of his vast wisdom. He'll tell them to go out and do what they have been doing."
Rafael Benitez's side currently trail defending champions United by a point, although their arch rivals do have a match in hand.
However, after a run of three successive league victories - including that 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford - Liverpool could be top before Sir Alex Ferguson's side play again.
The Merseysiders travel to Fulham for a Saturday evening kick-off while United welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford the following day.
Ablett, who now manages the club's reserve team, said expectations were always high at Anfield but closing the gap on United in recent weeks had provided an extra boost.
"I think we are always hopeful we are going to do well," he added.
"The results in the week before the international break gave everyone renewed confidence and self-belief that we could go on and achieve things.
"Obviously United are still in the driving seat but if we take care of our own business and continue to play in the manner we have been and collect as many points as we can and United slip up hopefully we can be there to take advantage.
"We have the players to take advantage of that situation."
Ablett also praised Benitez for the work he has done since arriving at the club in the summer of 2004.
In his first season he famously won the Champions League against AC Milan in Istanbul, reached the final two years later and has now turned Liverpool into genuine title contenders.
"I think we have improved with every single year Rafa has been here, culminating in the chance with eight games to go we could win the league," said Ablett.
"I'm not sure in the time Rafa has been here we could say that before.
"We are definitely improving; we have had to improve to keep up with United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the past.
"Hopefully our time is coming. If it's this year, great. If it's next year we'll wait for next year."
Ablett played in the last Liverpool team to win the title - which was then Division One - in the 1989-90 season.
The 43-year-old remembers how that squad, managed by Kenny Dalglish, felt they were unbeatable during their run to a record 18th championship and believes the 2009 generation have to do the same.
In their last three matches they have beaten Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United and Aston Villa in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals in the process.
Ablett reckons those performances could prove pivotal to the outcome of Liverpool's campaign.
"If you go back to our championship-winning team we went out with a feeling we couldn't be beaten," he said.
"The three results of late will hopefully have given us confidence to take through to the end of the season and it would be nice to see the same result as 1989-1990.
"I'm sure Rafa will give them the benefit of his vast wisdom. He'll tell them to go out and do what they have been doing."
Rafael Benitez's side currently trail defending champions United by a point, although their arch rivals do have a match in hand.
However, after a run of three successive league victories - including that 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford - Liverpool could be top before Sir Alex Ferguson's side play again.
The Merseysiders travel to Fulham for a Saturday evening kick-off while United welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford the following day.
Ablett, who now manages the club's reserve team, said expectations were always high at Anfield but closing the gap on United in recent weeks had provided an extra boost.
"I think we are always hopeful we are going to do well," he added.
"The results in the week before the international break gave everyone renewed confidence and self-belief that we could go on and achieve things.
"Obviously United are still in the driving seat but if we take care of our own business and continue to play in the manner we have been and collect as many points as we can and United slip up hopefully we can be there to take advantage.
"We have the players to take advantage of that situation."
Ablett also praised Benitez for the work he has done since arriving at the club in the summer of 2004.
In his first season he famously won the Champions League against AC Milan in Istanbul, reached the final two years later and has now turned Liverpool into genuine title contenders.
"I think we have improved with every single year Rafa has been here, culminating in the chance with eight games to go we could win the league," said Ablett.
"I'm not sure in the time Rafa has been here we could say that before.
"We are definitely improving; we have had to improve to keep up with United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the past.
"Hopefully our time is coming. If it's this year, great. If it's next year we'll wait for next year."
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