Liverpool ready to take final step to title

After finishing fourth, third and then second in the last three seasons, an 18 million pound ($27.62 million dollar) spending spree has equipped Liverpool to take the final step and win the premier league.

Manager Gerard Houllier has made enormous progress at Anfield in recent seasons and has the trophies to prove it after winning the UEFA, FA and League cups two seasons ago.

But the Frenchman also knows that the ultimate yardstick for a club with a record 18 league titles is to finish their campaign at the top of the table.

It is now 13 seasons since Liverpool last won the league and the supporters have not enjoyed the dominance of Manchester United and Arsenal.

Now they feel Liverpool are a match for their main rivals over the long haul and Houllier has tapped into their thinking by saying that the league is his top priority.

A 2-1 win over AC Milan in a pre-season friendly in Spain gave Houllier a reminder of the excitement to come in the Champions League but the Frenchman preferred to concentrate on domestic matters.

"This year the Premiership is our priority. Europe comes second," he said.

INCREASED EXPECTATION

"We've increased expectation in the squad and with our fans that we can win the title because when you finish fourth, then third, then second, everybody is looking for what comes next.

"Winning the Premiership will be a hallmark of our success and there is a real hunger amongst the players to do it.

"I have a team that, when they want something, they get it. We can be awesome, we can be unbreakable, we can be unstoppable."

Houllier admitted his early years at the club were geared to success in Europe, achieved notably with that 2001 UEFA Cup win.

But he added: "It took me a time to realise what winning the Premiership and the FA Cup means to English players.

"There is no doubt we can win the league if we are injury-free."

The qualification is important as Houllier has had to come to terms with the gruelling nature of the domestic season.

A year ago, after the club's trophy treble, Houllier failed to add to his squad. A long run of injuries then left him short at vital moments as their title challenge faded.

HEART SURGERY

The manager too suffered and missed several months of the campaign after undergoing emergency heart surgery.

He is now back in good health with his enthusiasm lifted by a host of new signings, led by Senegal duo El-Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao.

Both looked superb in the African Nations Cup and impressive in the World Cup. Houllier is expecting them to make a real impact.

"He's the type I want. He's unselfish, a warrior and a fighter," he said of 21-year-old striker Diouf, who phoned Houllier and begged him to sign him.

Diao, who signed for around 4.5 million pounds, was not due to arrive from Sedan until December but now looks set to be around to beef up the midfield almost from the start of the season.

The two will certainly strengthen the squad and will also be the perfect replacements for injury-prone England duo Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard.

Bruno Cheyrou from Lille and Bayern Munich's Alou Diarra have also arrived to bolster the midfield, while the return of Markus Babbel after missing almost the entire season through illness will also seem like a new arrival.

The loss of midfield trio Nick Barmby, Jamie Redknapp and Gary McAllister, none of whom made an impact last season, and on-loan striker Nicholas Anelka, is hardly a major impediment to the club's prospects.

Houllier believes his squad are hungry enough for the English game's biggest prize and are now capable of seizing their chance.

"There's an incredible feeling of unity amongst the players," he said. "They know they're not the best yet because we haven't won the title, but the foundation is there."