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LONDON - Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has warned his team cannot afford another slow start to the season if they are to bid for the Premier League soccer title.
Although they finished third behind Chelsea and Manchester United in the past two seasons, the Reds were never seriously in contention for their first championship success since 1990 in either campaign.
"I've heard it said before that you can't win the league in the first 10 games but you can lose it. That's definitely been true in our case," Gerrard told www.liverpoolfc.tv.
"In the last two years, we've lost any chance of challenging in the first 10 games.
"You can't give teams like United and Chelsea the head starts we have. This year, it's essential we get off to a flyer or, at the very least, stay with them for far longer."
In 2005-2006, just a few weeks after being crowned European champions, Liverpool won only two of their first eight league matches - but ended the season strongly winning their last nine games. However, they still finished nine points behind champions Chelsea and a point behind second-placed United.
Last season, they won only three of their opening nine league matches - but recovered well later in the season to finish third again. However, they were 21 points behind champions United and 15 points behind runners-up Chelsea.
Liverpool's ambitions have been boosted after the takeover in March by American sports tycoons George Gillett and Tom Hicks. The pair are making plans for a new stadium at Stanley Park and have provided transfer funds for manager Rafael Benitez.
Liverpool's bank balance was also boosted by the ¬32.22 million ($57.06 million) they earned from reaching the Champions League final for the second time in three years.
Last week, the Merseysiders paid a club record fee of ¬36 million for Spanish striker Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid, with the prospect of more players to come.
- REUTERS
