Former Liverpool captain Ronnie Whelan believes the current crop of Reds are finishing the season stronger than their rivals and that gives them the best chance of winning the title.

Brendan Rodgers’ team returned to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 win at West Ham on Sunday which made it nine successive league victories.

Whelan — who won six championships with Liverpool, including their last one in 1990 — believes the way in which they are overwhelming opponents with their pace and pressing is a good sign as the campaign reaches its climax.

“You cannot fault anything they are doing. They are going out and winning game after game and doing it well,” he said.

“The energy they are showing at the end of the season always gives you a chance in the last five games.

“The energy seems to be more than Chelsea and Manchester City and the other teams.

“Nine games ago we wouldn’t have said we would win nine on the trot but now there are only five more to go.

“I know it will be a record, winning 14 in a row, but they are playing well enough to do it.”

Liverpool lead the table by two points ahead of Chelsea.

Third-placed Manchester City are four points adrift with two matches in hand but visit Anfield this Sunday.

“There is a mentality to winning the title and Chelsea have been through it and they will know if perhaps they draw a game there are still plenty of twists and turns to go,” he added.

“City have to go to Everton and that is no foregone conclusion. It is in Liverpool’s hands and we would never have guessed that with five games to go.”