Liverpool are “fully equipped to win the league”, says Joe Cole, and will go down as the best side not to claim the crown if they fall short again in 2019-20.
The Reds finished one point adrift of champions Manchester City last season, with Jurgen Klopp’s side left to reflect on what could have been.
Those at Anfield have been able to shake that disappointment from the system, with a faultless start made to the current campaign.
A narrow 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday means Liverpool have opened with seven straight victories this term, while taking their run of successive top-flight triumphs to 16.
They are clear at the Premier League summit once more and Cole believes they are well placed to kick on and bring a 30-year-old wait for title glory to a close.
The former Reds midfielder told BT Sport: “This team’s got everything, they’re fully equipped to win the league.
“But more importantly I put them now as firm favourites because I can see little weaknesses with City. With Liverpool we’ve had to trawl for half a weakness.
“If they don’t win the title they’ll go down as the best team not to win it.”
(C) Getty ImagesAnother former Reds star, Peter Crouch, has echoed those sentiments, with the ex-striker seeing plenty of positives for Klopp’s side to take from a battling win at Bramall Lane.
He added: “This year they look well equipped to win the title.
“Virgil van Dijk has been the huge difference, he was everywhere. Sheffield United threw everything at them but Liverpool stood firm.
“You can’t blitz teams every week. They dug in at Chelsea, they dug in today. They’ve won ugly.”
Klopp has admitted that his side were far from their best against Sheffield United, with the German having said of a game settled by a fortuitous goal for Georginio Wijnaldum: These games, they are not all beauties and you have to work hard for the results.
“You have to respect the opponent, we had good moments and it was one of these games you have to win but not think too much about it.
“They threw everything at us, they worked incredibly hard, they were a real threat.
“I am fine with the game, not overly happy but it happens.”