When Rafa Benitez first arrived at Anfield in 2004, he seriously underestimated what it takes to win the Premiership. Untill last season, Rafa persisted with a bizzare rotation policy which resulted in his teams never maintaining any momentum. For example, in season 2006/2007 Liverpool started the season on fire, with new signing Fernando Torres looking like a class aquisition. However, when Liverpool played some of the smaller clubs, he decided to rest Torres aswell as other key players such as Steven Gerrard, which resulted in dissapointing 0-0 draws when surely the strongest side would have picked up the precious points. Benitez has also improved in the league season on season, and if he does so again, there can only be one outcome.

A large chunk of last season was taken up with political battles behind the scenes at Anfield. Benitez was locked in a battle for control of transfer budgets with the then chief executive Rick Parry. Benitez blamed Parry for being too slow to move for potential targets resulting in Rafa missing out on numerous first choices. It is also alleged that the ill fated £18m transfer of Robbie Keane from Spurs was a transfer that had been forced onto Benitez from above. With full control of his budget he should be able to purchase the targets he needs, adding to the £17m+ capture of Glenn Johnson from Portsmouth. Now he is feeling 100% secure in his own job, he will be able to focus all his attentions on winning the Premiership title for Liverpool

For long periods last season, Liverpool had to make do without one or both of their two main talents and talismen; Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. These guys are unquestionably the two best players to currently wear a Liverpool shirt, and undoubtedly the team plays better when both of them are avaliable for selection. This is given credence via the fact that when they had both players fit and in the team, they thumped Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield, then went to Old Trafford and totally outclassed the reigning English, European and World champions 4-1.

Liverpool have nothing to fear from their challengers. Manchester United have lost the best player in the world in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo. No matter how much money they get from Madrid, his goals and overall impact on the team will be incredibly hard if not impossible to replace. Chelsea have yet again changed manager, and again have gone for a man who has no experience of English football and struggles to speak the language a la Scolari. With the spectre of Gus Hiddink hanging over Stamford Bridge in a similar way to that of Jose Mourinho after his departure, Ancelotti could find time and room for mistakes very limited. Arsenal will again have to rely on their youngsters fulfilling the promise that Wenger so optimistically promises us is there. However it is hard to see them improving enough to sustain a challenge next season, and if the Gunners start the season badly, the current murmurings of discontent from a section of the Emirates support could get louder and more vociferous. Man City will obviously hope to be in the mix as a result of the vast sums of money they are spending. However they seem to be focused on buying solely attacking players at the moment, which while it will make them exciting to watch, if they don’t sort out what was an atrocious defence last season they have no hope of a title challenge.