Gerrard pleased with squad depth

Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool have the strongest squad of players since he started out with the club.

Manager Rafa Benitez has added the likes of Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel to a squad already strong in numbers. Benayoun and Mohamed Sissoko failed to even make the bench for last Sunday's match with Chelsea, while Javier Mascherano was an unused substitute.

Gerrard said: "This is the first time in my Anfield career that I see genuine competition for every place in the team. There are at least two, even three, players battling for every starting jersey and that can only be good for everyone. You have to play well to keep a place and there are no guarantees at all for the starting eleven each week."

Liverpool have beaten Aston Villa and drawn with Chelsea this season, and they hold a 1-0 advantage over French side Toulouse going into the second-leg of their Champions League qualifier.

"We have made a positive start to the new campaign and the new boys have made a positive contribution to our success," continued Gerrard. "They are still getting to grips with the intricacies of English football and the systems and patterns the manager prefers here, but it is a big bonus for us that they have all hit the ground running.

"That is the thing this season, no-one in the dressing room can presume they are an automatic pick because there is so much quality right through the team. We have sent a loud message to the rest of the league that we will be serious contenders this season, but that is all it does. Nothing is won in August."