Rafa Benitez has laid out Liverpool's greatest strengths and backed his former club to win the Premier League title this season.

The Reds are eight points ahead of second-placed Leicester City at the top of the table, having gone undefeated after 16 games.

Quizzed on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football whether he thought it was Liverpool's year, the Spaniard said: "I think so. I think that they are doing so well.

"They are very consistent. It is very difficult for them to lose games, especially to lose games in a row for sure.

"They have been signing the right players over the past year, spending money obviously, but (on) very good players in the right positions and the ones the manager was looking for."

Asked what was the secret to their success Benitez, who managed the Reds between 2004 and 2010, added: "They have a very good balance. So it's not just that they have good defenders or people are just talking about the goalkeeper. The full-backs go forward, the strikers have pace and ability, and the midfielders press all the time.

"As soon as they attack you, if they give the ball away they are pressing you so it is very difficult to counter-attack and create something.

"If you are a team that has plenty of possession they are so aggressive, it is not easy. If you are a team that wants to play counter-attack they are so quick. We tried that with Newcastle but we couldn't go in behind them because they were faster than our players."