Under-rate Liverpool at your own peril

After a 90 days break, the new English Premier League season starts today when Sunderland and Spurs kick off the new campaign at 1245 BST.

This shall be an important season for Liverpool.

After a 17 years hiatus on the league front, Liverpool have finally assembled a squad that can be considered the best in recent memories. Manchester United aside, Liverpool is one of the top spenders this summer in the transfer market. The most expensive transfer of the summer involved one Fernando Torres, from Athletico Madrid to Liverpool. That, is the measure of Liverpool’s’ resolve to capture the league title this season.

Alas, the pundits tend to think otherwise. All and sundry seem to be of the opinion that, come May next year, the jostle for top spot shall still be between Chelsea and Man United. Sir Bobby Robson thinks so. Even former Liverpool greats Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson do not dare to stick their necks out in favour of Liverpool.

So be it. To each his own. I have deep trust in Benitez to do something good for Liverpool FC this season. The previous seasons saw him giving priority to European Champions League. However, this season, it is the domestic league. He has said so himself, several times over.

No doubt, Man United and Chelsea have improved with the purchase of new players over the summer. However, so have Liverpool. If Benitez could take Liverpool to two Champions League finals over the last three years with the old set of players, just imagine, for a bit, what he might do with the current crop.

Call it blind loyalty if you like, but I say Liverpool shall pip Chelsea and Man United to the finishing line this season.

Our time has come!