Liverpool striker Luis Suarez believes the Reds can bring silverware to Anfield next term if they maintain the form they showed during the final five months of the last campaign over a full season.
The Merseysiders enjoyed a huge surge following the appointment of Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish as manager in succession to Roy Hodgson in January and went on to take 34 points from 18 Premier League matches.
If they had maintained that ratio from the start of last season, Liverpool would have finished on 71 points, the same as second-placed Chelsea.
“I think the form we showed over the second half of the season bodes well,” Suarez, a £22.8million January signing from Dutch side Ajax, told LFC Weekly.
“We’ve been playing well and I think we’ve been getting into the type of form that we know we’ll have to keep up for a whole season if we want to be title contenders,” the Uruguay forward added.
“This is something we’re optimistic about for next season and if we can hit the ground running and maintain the good form then I think we’ve got a good chance of doing well.”
However, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said the overwhelming priority was regaining a place in the top four and the spot in the Champions League that comes with finishing in English football’s leading quartet.
“I’d love nothing better than to lead the lads to some silverware next year but I don’t want to raise expectation by saying that will definitely happen,” said the England midfielder, who sat out the final three months of last season having undergone a groin operation in early March.
“It would be stupid of me to raise expectations any more than they are already. Getting in the Champions League will be the main aim. I think it is for all the clubs in the Premier League.
“For financial reasons it’s so important but it’s also the biggest competition for players individually at club level.
“We just need to continue what we’ve been doing during the last six months. Hopefully we’ll add some more players to strengthen the squad and then we need to compete,” the local hero added.
“We are good enough to beat anyone on our day, we just need to find the consistency to challenge for honours.”