The Reds' skipper has had a successful pre-season thus far, scoring in their Rotterdam Tournament clash with Feyenoord, and impressing from the middle of the park on the club's Asian tour.

And Gerrard - who spent large parts of last season out on the right wing - thinks he is best used in the middle:

"I've played a lot of pre-season in the centre of midfield, and I've really enjoyed it," said Gerrard. "The manager knows that's where I want to play.

"We've got a big squad with a lot of good players and a lot of competition for places.

"There's a lot of football and I know I'll get my chance in the middle, but that's where I enjoy playing the most and where I believe I have the most to offer for the team.

Gerrard may get his wish, with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez strengthening their flanks significantly in the summer, with the purchases of Ryan Babel from Ajax and Yossi Benayoun from West Ham.

And this new blood has left Gerrard confident that this could finally be Liverpool's year.

"I don't want to say anything stupid before the start of the season, but we've got to be ready from the off," he said. "There's no getting away from it.

"Whether we're ready or not, only time will tell. But what I can say is that we have trained hard, we feel as though we are ready.

"Now it's up to myself and the rest of the players to go out and do it."

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