WHEN Rafael Benitez spoke in pre-season about Liverpool needing to be “almost perfect” if they were to win the Premier League title, he clearly wasn’t overestimating the challenge his side faced.

A season dominated by records, rants and Robbie Keane ended with the Anfield trophy cabinet remaining untouched for a third successive season.

But Benitez and his players can take satisfaction from maintaining their title charge until the penultimate weekend of the season.

The task now is to ensure that final step is taken to turn his genuine contenders into a championship-winning outfit.

Surpassing their efforts this season, though, isn’t going to be easy.

Liverpool set their Premier League-best mark of 86 points, were the leading scorers with the best goal difference and lost the least amount of games.

Indeed, no other team in the history of the top-flight has lost only two games and failed to win the league. Only Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough lowered their colours, and on both occasions the opposition were helped by Benitez’s side actually scoring for them.

Many title-winning traits are already there; the ability to fight back from an early deficit and the uncanny knack of scoring late, decisive goals both present and correct.

Benitez’s side have even shown their top four rivals hold little fear having remained undefeated in the mini-table between the main protagonists, scoring famous doubles over Chelsea and Manchester United.