Steven Gerrard has revealed he is desperate to be involved in a genuine title challenge and is confident that he can achieve it at Liverpool under Rafael Benitez.

The Liverpool captain said the Anfield board needs to give the manager the funds needed to strengthen the squad and improve on their fourth-place finish in the Premier League, 11 points behind the champions Manchester United.

"Other teams are going to strengthen and become better sides, so it is important we do the same," Gerrard said. "There is a lot of money in the league, teams and squads will become stronger in the summer.

"It's important we do not fall away, we want to stay up there with the best. To keep doing well in the league and Europe we need to strengthen the squad, there is no doubt about that."

Liverpool were forced last week to dismiss as "fantasy" that there had been a bid from Inter Milan for their captain, and today have dismissed a report by a Spanish radio station that Chelsea tried to sign Fernando Torres for £40 million.

Gerrard is more concerned with Benitez's transfer market activity, saying: "I don't know much about Rafa's transfer plans. He doesn't call me in and tell me names.

"But he does assure me and the other players that if anyone becomes available who would strengthen the side, then he will go out and buy them. It's important Rafa gets the right backing above him as well.

"I have to be careful that I don't send expectations through the roof again, but for me I am desperate for it [a title challenge]. I believe in this team and this manager, and believe we can make it happen.

"We need help and new players, and the manager needs help from the board to make these signings happen and make us stronger. I do expect us to be involved next season."

He added: "This is a tough league to win. We are strengthening all the time, working as hard as any other team. But sometimes you have to realise there are other sides that are as good as us who are strengthening and working hard as well. They want it just as much as us.

"But it has been a long time for this club [since winning the league], so we all maybe need to give that extra five or ten per cent. It's difficult to say how many world-class players we need. You look at the points difference and over the last few years we have made it smaller.

"Playing against Arsenal and Chelsea, it has been close. We are giving them good games, which are tight and get decided on small details.

"If we can make the team a little bit stronger, have a few more options and match-winners, and make the team a tiny bit better defensively, we can do it."

Liverpool fell away in the title race after a decent start. "Silly results against teams we should be beating cost us," he said. "Look at Reading away, where we were beaten 3-1. There were a couple of silly draws at home against sides you need to perform perfectly against and take maximum points from.

"You can be involved in the title race and even win it without beating the top three home and away. You don't have to take maximum points from them as long as you perform perfectly against the others, but we haven't done that. We dropped stupid points.

"We know we are capable of going on consistent runs and beating anyone. We started off that way, expectations were high. We thought this season we were going to be a lot closer, so now we need to learn from our mistakes. I thought we would have been involved in a title race come March or April but unfortunately we were out of it."

On his own future, Gerrard said: "I'm happy here and enjoying my football. I am not happy ending the season without a trophy because I am a winner and that is what I play the game for.

"I like finishing the season having a trophy or cup final to look back on and seeing I've achieved something. The experiences I've had at this club in Istanbul, Cardiff and so on - I want these again because I've enjoyed them so much."