Don't laugh, but this really could be Liverpool's year

Dalglish has everyone at Anfield pulling in the same direction

Could this finally be the year Liverpool break their Premier League duck?

The Reds have not won the English league title in 21 years, but Kenny Dalglish's young and vibrant side could be set to launch a major challenge this season.

Liverpool fans have been ridiculed by rival supporters in recent years for daring to suggest their side could win the league, but this time their optimism may be warranted.

Early signs are certainly good.

Dalglish has packed his side with young, hungry and above all talented players, and they have picked up seven points from their opening three Premier League fixtures.

They may have been disappointed by an opening day draw with Sunderland but if the wins over Arsenal and Bolton are anything to go by, the Anfield club should secure a top four finish at least.

Summer signings Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson both scored in the 3-1 win over Bolton

The early season performances of both Manchester clubs may just dampen hopes of a serious title challenge from Liverpool, but they certainly appear to be the best of the rest.

These are early days, of course, but the optimism Dalglish has created since returning as manager in January suggests this should be a successful campaign.

Perhaps Liverpool's losses against Tottenham and Aston Villa at the back end of last season may turn out to be two of the best results of Dalglish's reign.

Had they won those games, the Reds would have qualified for the Europa League and had they been in it, it could have acted as a major distraction this season.

Not qualifying for any form of European competition was a blow for a club of Liverpool's size but they could reap the benefits as this campaign progresses and their rivals struggle to keep up a fight on all fronts.

The dark days of Roy Hodgson's troubled reign at Anfield seem a long time ago now.

Dalglish's side is exciting and play the type of football Liverpool fans expect to see, while the deadwood he inherited from the tenures of Hodgson and Rafael Benitez is slowly being shifted.

In Luis Suarez Dalglish has a player who would light up any team.

Suarez is already adored by the Liverpool faithful

Suarez has been breathtaking since his January move from Ajax and is well on course to become a Liverpool great, with his all-action displays making him an immediate favourite with the Kop.

The Uruguayan illuminated the Premier League last season but this campaign - his first full one in English football - promises to be even better.

He is technically excellent, chases lost causes, moves into wide positions and is a deadly finisher, while you get the sense he is only just getting started.

If Suarez can live up to his early-season form, he could be the Premier League's player of the season.

While recent Liverpool teams have all been about one or two players, this side has a real team ethic and that is another factor which could push them closer to the title.

There is a terrific balance to the side, with left and right footers complimenting each other perfectly.

Charlie Adam is lethal from dead-ball situations and his passing will be a delight for Liverpool's forward and wide players, Lucas has grown into his defensive midfield role and now rarely gives the ball away, Jose Enrique is a dynamic option going forward from left-back, Stewart Downing is the direct winger the club have been crying out for. And that is just the start of it.

Downing has made a promising start to life at Anfield

The likes of Jamie Carragher, Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson all add to this side's effectiveness, while there is a great strength in depth Dalglish's predecessors could only dream about.

With attacking full-backs like Johnson and Enrique, Dalglish has the option to build from the back but the presence of Andy Carroll offers the option of playing more direct. Some Premier League teams can only play one way but Liverpool will always have a plan B.

There are so many positives at the moment at Anfield it is easy to forget about Steven Gerrard.

When Gerrard comes into this line-up, Liverpool will be a formidable outfit.

He will get in the team, no doubt, but what is clear now is that Dalglish has more than one option for every position and even players the quality of Gerrard can be replaced.

The Scot's faith in youth is also admirable and is a transformation from recent Liverpool managerial reigns.

There is also stability in the boardroom, with owner John W Henry backing Dalglish in the transfer market with significant funds, and it appears the owners will stop at nothing until Liverpool are again champions of England.

Owner Henry has helped turn Liverpool around since taking over last October

It is important fans do not get carried away as that could put too much pressure on the newly-formed team, but what is clear is that Dalglish has galvanised the club and there is much to be optimistic about.

This is very much Dalglish's team - with the stale stench of the latter days of Benitez's reign a distant memory - but this season may be just too early for them to overcome the two Manchester clubs.

Liverpool's aim appears to be merely a top four finish and that would represent a major step forward and a significant building block if they were to achieve it.

The title may be a more realistic goal next season but if they can go on a run this campaign, there is no reason they can't do it.

Last season under Dalglish, Liverpool beat both Manchester United and City at home comfortably. Although both Manchester clubs appear significantly stronger now, so do Liverpool and it makes for a fascinating campaign.

Ultimately, this season's champions ought to come from Manchester but a side from Merseyside smarting from 21 years of hurt may just have something to say about it.