Kenny Dalglish believes Liverpool have got what it takes to win the Premier League.
The man who won eight league titles as both a player and manager at Anfield says Rafa Benitez's side may have been knocked off top spot by Chelsea, but can still go all the way this season.
He admits that the Blues superior firepower is something Liverpool will have to compete with in the transfer window and that champions Manchester United are a "fantastic side", but is convinced the current Reds crop have it what it takes to end an 18-year wait for the league title.
Dalglish was at the helm the last time Liverpool ruled the land and told Goals on Sunday that this season it is a case of so far, so good.
"I would go for Liverpool, but Man United are a fantastic side," he told Goals on Sunday. "But it doesn't matter what number title Man United are going for, Liverpool can only look after themselves.
"If they have got ambitions of winning the championship - which they have - they have got to beat Man United and they have got to beat Chelsea. And they've done that.
"They've beaten them twice, so they've got a lot more points from the top two teams than they did last year.
"For me, I think they've got enough to hang on, but it's whether they can get over the line or not. I think it's going to be really tight.
"Chelsea are a fantastic team. They looked really ordinary against Liverpool but as we saw yesterday, they're a fantastic team and they've got a huge goal difference. Between them and Liverpool that could be vital at the end of the season. They do have a greater goalscoring threart than Liverpool."
Dalglish hailed Robbie Keane as a "big, big signing" in the summer and backed him and Fernando Torres to form the sort of partnership he and fellow Goals on Sunday guest Ian Rush enjoyed during the club's most succesful period.
Torres was missing as Liverpool lost their first league game of the season at Tottenham on Saturday and with Keane still struggling, their former boss expects Benitez to reinforce his frontline in the New Year.
But, he believes they have the defensive durabilty to finish the season as champions.
"I think they need to start looking at scoring goals and that's something for the January transfer window," he said.
"But the good thing about Liverpool this year - and it happened in the first half at Tottenham until they maybe took their foot off the gas a wee bit - is they're winning a lot more possession in the opposition's half. They're pressing them a lot higher up the pitch.
"When they do that Liverpool are a real threat and it really gets the crowd going when they close down in the other half of the pitch, especially at home. And they are good enough to do that.
"(Jamie) Carragher and (Daniel) Agger are good enough to go one-on-one at the back and they can close down higher up the pitch.
"Man United have been the better team, simple as that. But Rafa has won the European Cup, he's got to another final and lost that and Gerard Houllier won the UEFA Cup and something like five other trophies, so they have had relative success.
"But they've not won the championship and that's the thing they are all craving - and Rushy and I are the same!"
The man who won eight league titles as both a player and manager at Anfield says Rafa Benitez's side may have been knocked off top spot by Chelsea, but can still go all the way this season.
He admits that the Blues superior firepower is something Liverpool will have to compete with in the transfer window and that champions Manchester United are a "fantastic side", but is convinced the current Reds crop have it what it takes to end an 18-year wait for the league title.
Dalglish was at the helm the last time Liverpool ruled the land and told Goals on Sunday that this season it is a case of so far, so good.
"I would go for Liverpool, but Man United are a fantastic side," he told Goals on Sunday. "But it doesn't matter what number title Man United are going for, Liverpool can only look after themselves.
"If they have got ambitions of winning the championship - which they have - they have got to beat Man United and they have got to beat Chelsea. And they've done that.
"They've beaten them twice, so they've got a lot more points from the top two teams than they did last year.
"For me, I think they've got enough to hang on, but it's whether they can get over the line or not. I think it's going to be really tight.
"Chelsea are a fantastic team. They looked really ordinary against Liverpool but as we saw yesterday, they're a fantastic team and they've got a huge goal difference. Between them and Liverpool that could be vital at the end of the season. They do have a greater goalscoring threart than Liverpool."
Dalglish hailed Robbie Keane as a "big, big signing" in the summer and backed him and Fernando Torres to form the sort of partnership he and fellow Goals on Sunday guest Ian Rush enjoyed during the club's most succesful period.
Torres was missing as Liverpool lost their first league game of the season at Tottenham on Saturday and with Keane still struggling, their former boss expects Benitez to reinforce his frontline in the New Year.
But, he believes they have the defensive durabilty to finish the season as champions.
"I think they need to start looking at scoring goals and that's something for the January transfer window," he said.
"But the good thing about Liverpool this year - and it happened in the first half at Tottenham until they maybe took their foot off the gas a wee bit - is they're winning a lot more possession in the opposition's half. They're pressing them a lot higher up the pitch.
"When they do that Liverpool are a real threat and it really gets the crowd going when they close down in the other half of the pitch, especially at home. And they are good enough to do that.
"(Jamie) Carragher and (Daniel) Agger are good enough to go one-on-one at the back and they can close down higher up the pitch.
"Man United have been the better team, simple as that. But Rafa has won the European Cup, he's got to another final and lost that and Gerard Houllier won the UEFA Cup and something like five other trophies, so they have had relative success.
"But they've not won the championship and that's the thing they are all craving - and Rushy and I are the same!"
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