He said: "They're very, very close - one point off the lead and absolutely flying.

"They've got a strike partnership in Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge that's the best the Premier League has seen for a very long time, and they've given themselves a real chance.

"Now they have to believe they've got something that might fall through their grasp and slip away and - believe me - that's a real bad feeling to have because perhaps you don't play with the freedom you'd played with earlier in the season. I know what it's like myself.

"It all depends on how they can hold their nerve. City and Chelsea have to be favourites because of the players they have who've crossed that line and done it previously.

"But Liverpool have gone from seventh last year and must be believing they can actually win this Premier League title."

Sherwood claims he sensed signs of nervousness during Liverpool's victory over Sunderland in midweek, and with a seven-point deficit on fourth-placed Arsenal to bridge he said: "We're going there to win the game. The pressure's on Liverpool."

"We're very relaxed," said Rodgers, who has overseen a huge improvement on last season, when his side finished seventh. "We're focused.

"There was no expectation on us being where we are, so there's certainly no pressure.

"I suppose the likes of Tottenham are a team who were maybe looking to be challenging for the league this season. You spend £100m-odd - it's a group that's set up to challenge.

"There's certainly no pressure on ourselves, and I think we've shown that over the course of the season. We're playing with no fear."

Sherwood's assessment came in the wake of a victory over Sunderland which saw Liverpool take a two-goal lead before conceding with 14 minutes to play.

Rodgers said: "We conceded a poor goal, which we've done this season a few times, and obviously it gets a little bit anxious.

"But I've got to give credit to the players because we showed the other night we can win in a different way. By the end of it we showed great resilience and managed the game well to see out the result."

Now they have to believe they've got something that might fall through their grasp and slip away

Natalie Portman wrote:biggest game since Cl final of Athens in 2007 ?

Natalie Portman wrote:biggest game since Cl final of Athens in 2007 ?

HEIL MEIN REDS wrote:dawson coming

Now they have to believe they've got something that might fall through their grasp and slip away and - believe me - that's a real bad feeling to have because perhaps you don't play with the freedom you'd played with earlier in the season. I know what it's like myself.