Liverpool title bid: John Barnes says if his old side win the title it will be the greatest triumph in Premier League history

Former Liverpool winger John Barnes believes if his old side win the title it will go down as the greatest Premier League triumph in history.

Manchester City, who are their closest rivals for the title, may have won the championship on goal difference with virtually the final kick of the season two years ago but Barnes thinks it would be even more remarkable if the Reds do it this campaign.

City moved into pole position after Saturday's 3-2 win at Everton took them top of the table and, with a superior goal difference, if they win their remaining two matches they will be champions.

"All of the Liverpool fans will be disappointed if Manchester City win the title but at the start of the season if you asked them if they would take fourth place they would have said yes," the winger, who was part of the last Anfield side to lift the title in 1990, told Press Association Sport.

"They might win the title but if they don't they will finish second or third, just a couple of points off the top.

"That shows the club are moving in the right direction. It's not a failure at all.

"If they win the title it will be the biggest Premier League victory in history because Liverpool finished seventh last year and now they have the same players.

"They bought Iago Aspas and Mamadou Sakho (also goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and Luis Alberto) but they aren't the reason why they are where they are and that shows how good a job Brendan Rodgers has done and how much the players have come on.

"So yes, if they win the title it will be the greatest in history. If they finished 2nd or 3rd it will be a big improvement.

"They will give everyone at Liverpool hope for the future knowing that they might not necessarily win it next year, but they will compete and they haven't been able to do that for many years."

If Liverpool are to compete next season and beyond they will have to strengthen in the summer as they will also have Champions League football to contend with next year, which is something they have not had to deal with since 2009.

Rodgers has already been promised a significant transfer budget for the summer and the lure of Europe's elite club competition should mean he can attract a better quality of player than was the case 12 months ago.

Barnes, who was speaking on behalf of Vauxhall, the England Team Sponsor, said: "They need to make additions to the squad. Liverpool have had a great 13-14-man squad but it's been a freak year that they have been able to use so few players.

"That's not always going to happen so, allied to the fact that you will be playing Champions League as well, you really need to get a bigger squad and I am sure Liverpool will get more signings.

"They will be able to do that now they have Champions League so I don't think they can go into next season the same squad.

"I don't think they need to sign massive names. Look at what Brendan Rodgers has done with Jordan Henderson.

"Rodgers has shown he can implement a strategy if you get good players - no-one had heard of Philippe Coutinho before and look how he has turned out..

"There are certain teams who need to sign superstars to make a team good but I don't think Brendan Rodgers does.

"I don't think Liverpool are going to be getting the (Lionel) Messis or (Cristiano) Ronaldos.

"I think the top world-class players will still go Manchester City or Chelsea ahead of Liverpool but I don't think Liverpool need them because Brendan Rodgers can improve a squad and be competitive on all fronts with good players who may cost £15million."

PA