Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard insists he would not trade in the silverware he has won at Anfield for the Premier League title with a rival club.
Since Liverpool ran Manchester United so close in the Premier League in 2009 the club's fortunes have taken a significant dip, having finished seventh, sixth and eighth.
Power
That combined with the emergence of other clubs - with Manchester City's spending power winning them the championship last season - has made the Reds' task of regaining a top-four spot, never mind challenging for the title, even more difficult.
"It is no good us worrying about the power of Chelsea and Manchester City," said Gerrard, who believes the club is making positive strides since Brendan Rodgers took over in the summer.
"But there is no two ways about it, if there was no Roman Abramovich (Chelsea owner) or the guy (Sheikh Mansour) who bought Manchester City I'd have two or three league titles sitting here now.
"People who buy football clubs can have too much power for other clubs in the league and that is what has happened.
"We can't compete financially so we need to worry about ourselves and be the best we can be and see where we end up.
"We know what work we have to do ahead: it is going to be tough and other teams in the league as well as City, United and Chelsea are getting stronger.
"It is becoming more and more difficult to finish in the top four but I believe we have the squad and the manager in charge at the moment to certainly push for that and I am confident we can do it.
"If you look at our recent performances we are not far away at all. We've not had the results we deserve this season but it is a new set-up, it is not going to click overnight."
