I'VE tried my best to conjure up a reason why Liverpool can win the league this season, one other than loyalty for throwing a tenner at the 12-1 on offer from Billy Hills.

But I can only come up with blind faith. It's simply asking too much for a team to jump from sixth to champions - it hasn't been done since the bitters moved from seventh in 1984 to top spot 12 months later.

It hasn't come close to happening in the Premier League era with the title rotating between Unarted, Chelski and Arsenal since Kenny's last triumph with Blackburn way back in 1995. So let's forget about who's going to win the Premier League and look at bets where Reds can have a patriotic punt.

Qualification for the Champions League is definitely in Kenny's power.

It's been well-documented that we'd have challenged for the title on league results since the King took over from Ming. Even with a couple of poor results as the season fizzled out, the Reds were still third if the league started when Kenny came home.

We scored more goals than anyone else in the King's 18 games last season season and only Chelsea's defence was meaner. That gives great heart for getting past crumbling Arsenal and a Tottenham team that peaked two seasons ago.

You won't get rich backing a Liverpool top four finish but Paddy Power go biggest at 6-5.

And if any Bitter offers you an even tenner that Everton finish above Liverpool, bite their hand off. The bookies reckon it's 1-3 that the Reds top the Blues in the Premier League and even that looks generous to me.

There's every chance the Premier League golden boot will be coming to Anfield as well. I don't think Andy Carroll will be fit to play enough games to be top-scorer but Luis Suarez looks a knocking bet at 14-1 with Billy Hills.

He notched four times in 12 Prem games last term so he'll have to up his strike-rate but he bagged 35 and 22 in his last two years in Holland which bodes well. If Robin Van Persie stays fit he could also be a decent bet at 10s given he managed to bag 18 last season despite having more sicknotes than Harry Kewell.

It's also worth bearing in mind that Liverpool are nearly the same price to win both cups as the league and it's high time we played at the new Wembley. With no European competition, we should be able to have a run at the FA and League Cups so the 10-1 with Ladbrokes for the main trophy and 9s generally for the Mickey Mouse are worth a close look.

OTHER DECENT BETS

• Fernando T****s 11-10 to outscore Javier Hernandez with Bet 365 Liverpool 9-2 to win any major trophy with Victor Chandler
• Neil Warnock 4-1 to be next manager to leave with Ladbrokes
• Stoke 3-1 to be top Midlands club (over Villa, West Brom, Wolves) with Ladbrokes Newcastle 11-8 to finish above Sunderland with Betfred

LEAGUE BETTING

Championship Leicester's dosh and West Ham's decent squad see them vying for favouritism around the 9-2 mark but both LEEDS and BRIGHTON at 22-1 with Hills are better bets each-way. Leeds weren't a million miles away last season and have their huge support to roar them on, while Brighton have a flash new stadium and a nice passing team expertly led by Gus Poyet.

The last short-priced team to win the Championship was Man City in 2001-2 so don't be sucked in to backing the top two.

League One There are plenty of former Premier League fixtures in the division now but look beyond Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Sheffield United and take the 18-1 about MK DONS. They have progressed nicely in the past couple of seasons and were a solid fifth last season. With young manager Karl Robinson rapidly establishing himself as one of the best bosses in the league, they can at least make the top three at a tasty each-way price.

League Two Crawley are as low as 5-2 after adding to the squad that cruised into the league last season. It may well be enough but the bottom tier has been another favourite's graveyard as Notts County showed 12 months ago. Eight of the past 10 seasons have seen a team priced at double-figures finishing on top and SHREWSBURY fit the bill at 14s with Hills. Lower league legend Graham Turner almost took the Shrews up last term and they were topped only by Bury - and just by a point - in the second half of the season. Apparently Turner's had his squad training with the RAF in pre-season and the fittest team is often the best team at this level.

FANTASY LUCKY 15

A Lucky 15 is a combination bet that is four singles, six doubles, four trebles and an accumulator. All William Hill prices on August 3: Liverpool 12-1 Leeds 22-1 MK Dons 18-1 Shrewsbury 14-1 A 50p each-way Lucky 15 costs £15 and pays just the £54,429 if they all come in! If they all finish in the top three - which are the each-way placings in football bets, you get £669.

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