Despite Liverpool’s current impressive form, McManaman accepts that the mid-season spell of draws against lesser teams at Anfield has cost the team dearly.

He said: “When you drop points, you always reflect on games you should have won. Manchester United will probably say that too, but it applies more to Liverpool.

“At home Liverpool have been held by the likes of Stoke, Fulham, Manchester City and Hull. Games that Liverpool should have won.

“They just could not break teams down.

“They failed to beat Stoke home or away, things like that are not good.”

McManaman added: “They are scoring goals now, looking extremely confident and they have that creativity now.

“It is a shame that there are not eight or nine games of the season to go rather than just a couple.

“You would fancy Liverpool to win it (the title) under those circumstances.

“There was a time when if they didn’t have Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard they were struggling. Now it’s different, there’s Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt or someone else.

“Others are all now chipping in, they are much more of a team now.”

Meanwhile, as Liverpool wait for the outcome of title rivals United’s two games this week before they play next – at West Brom on Sunday – Benitez has been quick to praise the impact of assistant manager Sammy Lee.

Lee, sacked by Bolton last season after one Premier League win in 11 matches, joined up with Benitez last May, and the Liverpool manager said: “I don’t know any manager who is the perfect manager, so no number two can be perfect.

“But if you ask me if he is close to being the perfect number two then I think he is.

“The only thing he can improve a little bit is his English!”