MANCHESTER, England: Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez believes the four-goal demolitions of both Real Madrid and Manchester United over the past week prove that his side can win the Premier League title.
Having crushed Real 4-0 in midweek for a 5-0 aggregate victory in the Champions League and then hammered United 4-1 on Saturday, Liverpool players and coaches now believe they can end the club's 19-year wait for the league title.
"If we can beat (United and Madrid), we can beat anybody," Benitez said after Saturday's rout. "Realistically, we have to win all of our games now, but part of winning the war is winning football matches."
For much of the first half of the season, the Reds topped the standings. But poor results against meager opposition — despite executing league doubles over United and Chelsea — damaged their title chances.
The third-place Reds are still four points behind champion United, which has a game in hand. Chelsea is above Liverpool on goal difference after beating Manchester City 1-0 on Sunday.We have made mistakes and ended up dropping points," Benitez said. "It is something we need to learn for the rest of the season because we cannot make any more mistakes now."
Benitez hopes the rest of the Premier League paid close attention to how Liverpool exposed the vulnerabilities of a United side whose 11-match winning streak was brought to a dramatic halt at Old Trafford.
"We have shown the way," Benitez said. "United have been playing with so much confidence and at least people will now see that they can lose.
"The message is there for everyone: In attack they are fantastic and you can see the quality they have, but in defense they have some weaknesses and we tried to exploit them."
Liverpool succeeded in that when Fernando Torres profited from Serbia defender Nemanja Vidic's blunder and raced forward unchallenged to cancel out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener for United.
The Reds repeated the feat after Patrice Evra sent Steven Gerrard crashing to the ground after being unable to cope with the England midfielder's pace. From the penalty spot came the decisive second.
As ever, Benitez will be relying on Gerrard and Torres, who struggled with his right ankle as he did in the thrashing of Madrid on Tuesday that clinched a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Injuries have limited the duo to just nine starts together this season.
"They are important for us because when those two are on the pitch the rest of the team has more confidence," Benitez said. "We know they can score goals and change a game, so they make a massive difference to us."
Gerrard described the Spain star's contribution to the side as pure "magic."
"He's the best striker in the world. If we keep him fit from now until the end of the season it's going to be an exciting finish," Gerrard said. "It's been frustrating not having him out there and playing alongside him.
"We have a good understanding. If we'd had him fit for more games we would have been closer to United."
There was no hiding Gerrard's jubilation as he scored Liverpool's second at United, flamboyantly kissing a TV camera in front of the fans who have mercilessly taunted him over the years.
Not only was the penalty kick his first goal at United, but it ensured the club's five-year wait for a win at its fiercest league rival would end. Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena completed the club's biggest win at Old Trafford since 1936 with late goals.
"I've lost here before and it has hurt badly and had an effect in the games afterwards," Gerrard said. "It's going to give us a big confidence lift."
