Steven Gerrard aims to lead Liverpool to the top in 2014-15.
The Liverpool captain rates his team among the leading contenders to win the Premier League title this season.
“I think this is the first time in a long time that I can be confident of telling people that we are the real deal and are real title contenders before a ball has been kicked,” Gerrard told LiverpoolFC.com on Sunday.
Liverpool finished second in last season’s Premier League, falling two points short of champion Manchester City.
Gerrard, 34, believes last season’s title charge will provide both foundation and motivation for Liverpool to mount another bid for domestic glory.
“When you play at this level the margins are so tight, so when you fall short of something having been within touching distance the emotions are still going to be raw and will take time to get over,” Gerrard said.
“I believe we are in a much better place now than we were this time last year. The reason being because we’ve got the taste, the know-how and the experience of being in a title race. If we can use the hurt of falling short last season in our favor then hopefully we can go one better.”
Manchester City ultimately prevailed over Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal in a thrilling, four-way race for the Premier League title last, and these teams plus one or two others likely will feature in this season’s chase.
Managers, players, pundits and fans will discuss the title credentials and ambitions of each team endlessly in the coming weeks and months. There’s no need to wonder what Gerrard and the Reds expect of themselves in 2014-15. They’re in it to win it this season.
