Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that Liverpool were as many as "eight" players away from genuinely challenging for the Premier League title towards the end of his career at Old Trafford.

The Scot stepped down after 27 years in charge of the Red Devils at the end of last season, and he revealed in his autobiography that he felt his fierce rivals were still some way off mounting a sustained push for the championship.

"For Liverpool to return to the level of us and Manchester City was clearly going to require huge investment," Ferguson wrote.

"Anfield has not moved on. Even the dressing rooms are the same as 20 years ago.

"My reading of their squad was that they needed eight players to come up to title-winning standard."

Ferguson also revealed that he did not rate the Reds' captain Steven Gerrard as a "top player", despite admitting to trying to sign the midfielder.