Liverpool need a perfect season to win the title

Rafael Benítez, however, believes it will take another three weeks of similar consistency before his side's enhanced status is fully established and warned it will take a near-perfect season to win the title.

The manner of Sunday's convincing victory that ended Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home league run has inevitably strengthened the belief that Liverpool are capable of maintaining a more sustained challenge than in recent seasons. Yet that view will be quickly undermined if they fail to build on the triumph at Stamford Bridge when Portsmouth visit Anfield tonight and, mindful that his team followed the win against Manchester United with a frustrating home draw against Stoke City, Benítez yesterday attempted to distance himself from the suggestion his side would now feel the extra pressure that comes with being league leaders.

"The mentality of the players is good," said the manager. "The problem will be - and it will be a good problem - if we continue winning two or three more games and we stay at the top of the table and everyone will talk about us being contenders and then we will have more pressure from outside."

With expectations at Anfield intensified by the 18-year gap since Kenny Dalglish's side last delivered the title to the club, Benítez admitted his side's margin for error is minimal if they are to sustain their position. "You can talk about maybe needing 95 points which was Chelsea [in 2004-05] or 92, maybe 87, so you cannot lose too many games," he said. "That is the reason why it is more difficult. The top three teams don't lose many games, so if you want to win or even be close you have to keep winning a lot of games in a row.

"It has to be almost perfect if you want to be at the end of the season at the top of the table. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will not lose too many games and always you can say one of them is making mistakes. But three at the same time? It is very difficult."

The striker Fernando Torres will again be missing despite returning to training while Robbie Keane will face a late test. "He played with an injection the other day," said Benítez. "I have to decide on him. It is difficult because the team is playing well, but you have to think about the fact we have three games in eight days."