Video Highlights: Liverpool Vs Aston Villa 3-1 Aug 24th 2009

"This squad is virtually the same as last season, so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge." says Benitez.

Did he mean to say that Liverpool did not win the title last season so they have virtually no chance this season too? Liverpool is too dependent on a few main players and will do poorly if they don't perform.

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were poor today.

Liverpool were defeated 3-1 by Aston Villa today, their second loss in three games.

Liverpool Won Convincingly

Liverpool won 5-0.

Bring On Villa, I Want The Title Says Benitez

Benitez can't wait for the Villa match to kick off. And he is voicing his confidence in the team's chances against Villa.

He also believes that Liverpool are strong contenders for the title now given Man Utd earlier falter at Craven Cottage.

“Everyone wants to talk about us and Chelsea [in the Champions League], but we know, if we want to stay close to United, we need to concentrate on Aston Villa,” the Spaniard told The Guardian.

“If we want to remain in the title race, we have to beat Villa.”

“A few Premier League teams play long ball, so we're used to it,” he said.

“We have to maybe change two or three movements of certain players, that's all.”

Liverpool Vs Aston Villa Sunday 22/3/09

The powerful Norwegian is finally back. After 2 substitute appearances, he is deemed to be properly fit by Martin O'Neill.

With him back in the mix, Aston Villa will be more ready to meet an in form Liverpool side which had humilliated Manchester United earlier with a 4-1 thrashing and an 8-1 aggregate thrashing of Real Madrid.

News of Benitez 5 year contract extension also booast the morale of an in form Liverpool squad.

Villa faces a huge challenge from Liverpool on Sunday.

However Martin O'Neill is optimistic of his chances having his top striker John Carew back in the fold. The Villa attack had lack potency early this year with drop in form of strikers Gabby and Heskey.

Martin says,"The great thing about it is that John Carew now is getting really properly fit," O'Neill was quoted as saying on Sky Sports News. "He played nearly a full game up at Everton.

"Now, in the little training sessions that he has been doing recently, he has been really sharp. He is really raring to go, which is great.

"The two goals he has got after coming on as a substitute will also have given him a big boost of confidence.

"It is great to see him back when, in actual fact, you probably thought that it might have been really hard work coming back from the injury.

"John coming back and firing and going well with confidence high is great. I think that will be a major boost to us."