JAVIER MASCHERANO has demanded that Liverpool must build on their victory over champions Manchester United and not allow their standards to drop again.

The Anfield outfit went into Sunday’s 2-0 home triumph over United having lost four successive matches and knowing another defeat would mean their worst run of results since their last relegation season in 1953/54.

But Liverpool stormed to victory thanks to goals from Fernando Torres and David Ngog, lifting the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez.

Mascherano, who accepts he deserved to be sent off in the final frantic minutes, said: “We were talking about kick-starting our season, and it was an important win.

“It’s good for the confidence. But we have to keep going; we have to look forward and not drop important points in the future.

“If we want these three points to be valuable we have to show this performance again in the future.

“Losing four games in a row was bad, so now it is time to start (our season) again.”

The midfielder is heartened that Liverpool have demonstrated their credentials as feasible title contenders – but he warns it must be just the beginning if they are to sustain a challenge.

“Now we have shown we can win, we cannot stop,” he said.

“We must try to keep going like this. We have shown we are a good squad, not (just) a good team.

“Some said it’s not that good a squad, so we have had to pull together. Now if we want to fight for something we have to play every game like we did against United.”