"This Liverpool team that Rafa Benitez has created is the real deal -absolutely no question. He has bought really well," said Beardsley.
"Jose Reina is a great keeper, Andriy Voronin is different class and Fernando Torres is so pacey and sharp.
"Torres reminds me of Dennis Bergkamp but I think he is a little bit quicker than the Dutchman was.
"Ian Rush was the best I have ever seen defending from the front, but Torres really looks as if he is always hungry to win the ball back.
"I think Benitez now has the depth to make a genuine and sustained assault on the Championship.
"In the past the problem has been that they didn't have the depth. When Liverpool had their strongest side out they won cup competitions, as they showed during Gerard Houllier's time, but over a season long marathon they were found out because they didn't have quality in reserve. That has changed under Benitez.
"In an ideal world Rafa isn't going to rotate the squad too much. He will decide on his best players and use them as much as possible. When you look at Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steve Gerrard and Torres, Liverpool have a great spine.
"You can sense something special is happening at Anfield. They looked magnificent when they were in full flow in that 6-0 rout of Derby.
"They are playing it the right way - the old Liverpool way. It is proper football.
"You look at some of the goals against Derby and the construction and finishing took your breath away."