Liverpool Must Win Premier League; 'No Problem' Beating Chelsea & Manchester United - Fernando Torres
Rather, the Spaniard reckons it is fixtures like their first-up clash at White Hart Lane which will show whether the Reds can win the title...
Fernando Torres has opined that the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, not Chelsea or Manchester United, will be Liverpool's biggest obstacles in the Premier League this season.
While the Reds boasted near-perfect record against their fellow 'Big Four' teams last term - the only blemish being a classic 4-4 draw against Arsenal - it was against less threatening opposition that they came undone.
Indeed, it was at Spurs that Rafael Benitez's men suffered the first of their two league losses in 2008-09, and they travel to White Hart Lane to kick off the new campaign this weekend.
Thus, Torres is especially concerned with getting off on the right foot against the Lilywhites, and is confident that he and his team-mates can deal with the Blues and the Red Devils when that time comes.
"We have no problem beating Manchester United or Chelsea but it is games like Sunday's at Tottenham where we need to show our real title intentions," the striker said, according to
The Sun.
"Tottenham is not an easy place to go but these are games we must be winning if this is to finally be our year."
Liverpool came up just short in their bid for a maiden Premier League crown last term, allowing Man United to equal the Merseyside club's record of 18 English championships.
Last season was one of considerable progress for the Anfield giants, and Torres reckons the team as a whole will better off for having taken part in a true title fight.
"I am not thinking can we win the title, I am thinking we have to win the title," he said.
"We came so close last season but for many of the players it was their first time experiencing the pressure of a Premier League title race."