Steven Gerrard can sense a greater self-belief within the Liverpool squad before the Carling Cup final.

He reckons there is a steadily rising belief that Kenny Dalglish's Reds are moving along the same lines as the 2001 side, which lifted the FA, League and UEFA Cups.

He said: "The feeling is quite similar.

"I think if we deliver the Carling Cup it will give us the confidence and can be a catalyst for the team.

"Before we won that treble we were improving slowly and I think that's what is happening here. The new players are settling in well and getting better and better. You can see how the team is going."