Watch highlights of last night's Merseyside derby I Debate: has Cahill ended Liverpool's title challenge?

How much is the heightened anxiety of the players and supporters at Anfield holding Liverpool back?

Everton are probably the first of the established top-half teams to have frustrated Liverpool at home this season. Other than that it has been matches against the likes of Stoke, West Ham and Fulham where they have struggled to impose themselves as they should.

To me that suggests that while there may be tactical issues at work, it does seem that they are far more comfortable when they are playing away from Anfield. You only have to look at the performance they produced at Newcastle to see that. They just haven't played like that at home at any stage this season.

Some of the players have touched on it during the season, but it does seem that the supporters' weight of expectation is getting to them. It should be something they are all able to cope with, but at the moment it is clear they can't.

So is it a case of the supporters needing to remain upbeat and allow the team more breathing space at Anfield?

It is not a case that the supporters aren't staying onside, you only need to look at the number of games where they have roared the team on to win in the final minute this season.

But there is understandably an anxiety and tension in the crowd. It's a vicious circle, which comes first? Is it the anxiety of the players spreading to the supporters, or the other way around? I think both compound the other.

I don't think you can blame the supporters for being nervous, but then again the players have a responsibility to rise above that.

How much will Liverpool's lack of experience count against them at this stage of the season?

Mind games should not have any impact on the players, they should be able to just let their performances do the talking. But that isn't always the case.

What Sir Alex Ferguson said very cleverly a couple of weeks ago was that Liverpool were not used to this situation and would get nervous. It may be that it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and some would say that it was Ferguson that has planted that seed of a doubt into the minds of the Liverpool squad.

But few could argue with Ferguson's logic, because they do look nervous and have looked nervous at home all season.

They have actually played really poorly in the majority of their games at Anfield, apart from a couple of 3-0s. That is something that Benitez and the players are going to have to sort out, because with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal still to come, it is difficult to see how they can continue to struggle and sustain any kind of a challenge.

Do you think they have what it takes to maintain a serious challenge for the title this season?

A lot will depend on the Chelsea game at Anfield in a couple weeks. I think after that we will know which team is better equipped to challenge Manchester United. Maybe it will still be a three-horse race, who knows? And maybe it's unwise to count out Aston Villa.

I actually do think Liverpool have what it takes to challenge, but all the signs point to them lacking the real mental strength and experience that they need to prevail.