{"id":480405,"date":"2011-09-02T11:28:25","date_gmt":"2011-09-02T11:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/09\/02\/liverpools-downing-wants-title\/"},"modified":"2011-09-02T11:28:25","modified_gmt":"2011-09-02T11:28:25","slug":"liverpools-downing-wants-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/09\/02\/liverpools-downing-wants-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool’s Downing wants title"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Phil McNulty<\/span>
Chief football writer<\/span><\/span> \"Stewart Stewart Downing cost Liverpool \u00a320m this summer from Aston Villa<\/span> <\/p>\n

Stewart Downing believes Liverpool<\/a>‘s expensive rebuilding programme has now put them firmly in the Premier League<\/a>‘s title-chasing pack.<\/p>\n

Downing, with the England squad in Sofia for Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria<\/a>, has made an impressive contribution to Liverpool’s unbeaten start after his \u00a320m move from Aston Villa.<\/p>\n

Craig Bellamy<\/a> was the last Liverpool arrival before the transfer window closed, joining Downing, Charlie Adam<\/a>, Jordan Henderson<\/a>, Jose Enrique<\/a> and Sebastian Coates<\/a> in Kenny Dalglish<\/a>‘s revamped squad.<\/p>\n

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The fact that a man like Kenny Dalglish is willing to spend \u00a320m on me does my confidence the world of good<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Stewart Downing<\/span><\/div>\n

They were added to the \u00a358m strike pair Luis Suarez<\/a> and Andy Carroll<\/a>, who arrived in January – and Downing revealed expectations are now soaring at Liverpool.<\/p>\n

He said: “We’ve certainly got the quality to challenge. It’s going to be difficult because Manchester City<\/a> have strengthened and have got a hell of a squad while Manchester Utd<\/a> have started really well<\/p>\n

“We’ve got a hell of a chance of doing it but we have got to pick up points and stay in and around that pack to have a chance of doing that.”<\/p>\n

Downing added: “No disrespect to the other clubs, but at Liverpool they are expecting to win games. You can see the expectation, spending big and having a pretty big revamp. We’ve started very well. We don’t want to look too far ahead because you could slip up.<\/p>\n

“You can sense the expectations. It was a difficult couple of seasons with stuff going on with the owners and that but now there is a buzz around the place.<\/p>\n

“The new owners<\/a> have come in and shown their intentions by spending good money on players and revamping it so expectation goes up and Liverpool fans always want to see success. If the team keeps playing the way it is at the minute then we have got a hell of a chance of succeeding.”<\/p>\n

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