Joining Liverpool was the best decision of my career - I didn't want to leave but had no choice

Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, and Sami Hyypia

Liverpool will be looking to clinch the Premier League title in the forthcoming weeks, with the Reds currently 12 points clear

it still feels a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot’s men are named champions.

‘We’re gonna win the league, we’re gonna win the league! And now you’re gonna believe us, and now you’re gonna believe us, and now you’re gonna believe us! We’re gonna win the league!’

Supporters have already sung the song about the champions elect

They have been here before, of course. After beating Manchester United 2-0 back on January 19, 2020, supporters sung the song

There might have been 16 games left to play, but there were 16 points clear at the top of the table while also possessing a game in hand.

But such words have come back to bite them in the past too.

But such words have come back to bite them in the past too.

On April 4, 2009, a 92nd minute winner from Yossi Benayoun against Fulham prompted the same scenes in the away end at Craven Cottage.

The win sent Rafa Benitez’s side two points clear of Manchester United, who had lost their last two league matches, but the Reds had played two games more.

Inevitably, when up against Sir Alex Ferguson’s juggernauts who had nine games left to play, such chants were premature.

The following day, Federico Macheda struck a stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa to reclaim top spot, with United having trailed with little over 10 minutes left to play.

They would go unbeaten for the rest of the Premier League season, dropping points only once at home to Arsenal, as they pipped Liverpool to the league title by four points.

Benayoun believed Liverpool would go on to win the league after his last-gasp winner in the capital.

But he is confident Slot’s own side won’t suffer the same disappointment.

Benayoun

“Yeah, I also thought after this game (against Fulham that we would win the league),”

“But I think Macheda came the day after against Aston Villa.

“I was at Liverpool when they hadn’t won the league for a long time. This was our target all the time and I think we missed it.

“You remember season 08/09 with Man U, we were leading in January, I don't know for how many points, and then we lost it.

“At the time we felt we were a very good team and we could win the league and, of course, when you score a winner that late, you think the luck is with you and we will win the league.

“But they had more luck the day after, unfortunately. But I think we had a great team with a lot of great players, you know, Xabi Alonso, Mascherano, Stevie, amazing players.

“We were unlucky not to win. It was very crucial but I'm happy that they (Liverpool) won the league, they won a lot of titles since then.

“I think it's slowly, slowly Liverpool become better and better and they won the league and a lot of other titles.”

“I'm sure the league is in the hands of Liverpool (this season). It's a shame they didn't win another trophy, the cup and the Champions League”

“but to win the league is the most important title in England.”

“I think it's one of the best teams in Europe. Unfortunately, they lost to a great team like Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

“We watched from Israel, me and my family, the game also against Newcastle. We all loved (if) they had won the cup, but they lost it.

“But as I said before, the most important title is the league. I don't want to open it up, but they have a big gap between them to Arsenal and I'm sure they will do it.”

Benayoun was a popular player for Liverpool, scoring 29 goals and recording 20 assists from 134 appearances