CONFIDENT Fernando Torres believes Liverpool have nothing to fear from their championship rivals.
Despite some underwhelming performances, Rafael Benitez’s side remain unbeaten in the Premier League and stand in fifth place, six points behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester United.
Liverpool have faced fellow title contenders Arsenal and Chelsea already this season and will entertain United on December 15.
Club record signing Torres is expected to bolster their top-flight efforts by returning to the starting line-up at Newcastle United on Saturday.
And the Spanish striker reckons the fact Benitez’s men have yet to hit top form should act as a warning to their nearest rivals – and expects Liverpool to be challenging for the title come next May.
"We have a confidence and a focus which will make us a very dangerous opponent for everyone who has to face us," said the 23-year-old.
"We have maybe not played as well as we are all capable of all
the time this season but look at how close we are to the teams at the top of the table. That is highly encouraging for us.
"From what I have seen so far in England we do not have anything to fear from any of our opponents for the title. They are all great teams with a lot of experience and many very, very good players but so are we.
"I am sure that as the season progresses it will come down to a fight between Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea – and we will be in there too."
Torres added: "There is a winning mentality at Liverpool. I look around in the dressing room before a game and in the face of ever player and every coach you see the winning expectation.
"They do not go out on to the pitch either hoping they will or praying they will win. They expect it. They have such a belief in their ability that another outcome is just not something they consider.
"It is very new to me but I enjoy that mentality very much and I am thinking this way too now.
"Hopefully we have had all the injuries that we are going to have and for the next few months we can really start to build a momentum that makes us very hard to stop.
"Any team that concedes as few goals as we concede is going to be tough to play against. If we begin to take the chances that we are creating in our games then I am sure those teams above us will start to fear us."
Torres suffered an adductor muscle problem while on international duty in October that has restricted him to just one start in Liverpool’s last seven games.
However, he made a goalscoring return as substitute against Fulham in their most recent Premier League outing and has spent the international break at Melwood building up his fitness.
Also ready to be considered for a start on Saturday is Harry Kewell, who played all 90 minutes of Australia’s friendly match with Nigeria at the weekend.
It’s the first time the 29-year- old has completed a full match in more than a year, and Benitez said: "It was good to see Harry get 90 minutes.
"I was talking with him and he said it wasn't a high tempo game so he was able to get through it.
"Physically he probably still needs to improve his pace and stamina but he is getting there."
FOR the full Fernando Torres interview, see this week’s official LFC Magazine.
Despite some underwhelming performances, Rafael Benitez’s side remain unbeaten in the Premier League and stand in fifth place, six points behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester United.
Liverpool have faced fellow title contenders Arsenal and Chelsea already this season and will entertain United on December 15.
Club record signing Torres is expected to bolster their top-flight efforts by returning to the starting line-up at Newcastle United on Saturday.
And the Spanish striker reckons the fact Benitez’s men have yet to hit top form should act as a warning to their nearest rivals – and expects Liverpool to be challenging for the title come next May.
"We have a confidence and a focus which will make us a very dangerous opponent for everyone who has to face us," said the 23-year-old.
"We have maybe not played as well as we are all capable of all
the time this season but look at how close we are to the teams at the top of the table. That is highly encouraging for us.
"From what I have seen so far in England we do not have anything to fear from any of our opponents for the title. They are all great teams with a lot of experience and many very, very good players but so are we.
"I am sure that as the season progresses it will come down to a fight between Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea – and we will be in there too."
Torres added: "There is a winning mentality at Liverpool. I look around in the dressing room before a game and in the face of ever player and every coach you see the winning expectation.
"They do not go out on to the pitch either hoping they will or praying they will win. They expect it. They have such a belief in their ability that another outcome is just not something they consider.
"It is very new to me but I enjoy that mentality very much and I am thinking this way too now.
"Hopefully we have had all the injuries that we are going to have and for the next few months we can really start to build a momentum that makes us very hard to stop.
"Any team that concedes as few goals as we concede is going to be tough to play against. If we begin to take the chances that we are creating in our games then I am sure those teams above us will start to fear us."
Torres suffered an adductor muscle problem while on international duty in October that has restricted him to just one start in Liverpool’s last seven games.
However, he made a goalscoring return as substitute against Fulham in their most recent Premier League outing and has spent the international break at Melwood building up his fitness.
Also ready to be considered for a start on Saturday is Harry Kewell, who played all 90 minutes of Australia’s friendly match with Nigeria at the weekend.
It’s the first time the 29-year- old has completed a full match in more than a year, and Benitez said: "It was good to see Harry get 90 minutes.
"I was talking with him and he said it wasn't a high tempo game so he was able to get through it.
"Physically he probably still needs to improve his pace and stamina but he is getting there."
FOR the full Fernando Torres interview, see this week’s official LFC Magazine.
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