FORMER Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz believes his old club will secure Champions League qualification next season.

The Swiss centre back has been hugely impressed by the progress the Reds have made since Kenny Dalglish was appointed manager in January and he expects Liverpool to swiftly reclaim their top four status.

“I think the future looks bright,” he said. “Kenny Dalglish is back as the manager and I am sure he is going to bring back success to Anfield. The players they have signed, especially (Luis) Suarez, have done very well.

“The young players have got a lot of quality, so for me next year I think they will get back into the top four and from there they can push on from that.

“Hopefully in a couple of years time they can win the title.”

The 36-year-old, who made 205 appearances for Liverpool between 1999 and 2004, was back in the city to help the club’s legends clinch victory in the Mersey Masters at the Echo Arena last weekend.

“I had a great time and winning the tournament made everybody, including the fans in the arena, happy,” he added.

“I played in Malaysia a few months ago for the first time, and playing in the Masters in Liverpool and wearing the shirt again was a great pleasure.

“It’s very different to when you are still playing because you just want to enjoy it. You still want to win, obviously, but you don’t have the same pressure.

“It was nice to see the players again, come back to the city and have a drink with the lads. I think everybody really enjoyed it.”

LIVERPOOL Ladies manager Robbie Johnson is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of next month’s resumption of the Women’s Super League.

The Reds are without a win in seven games and are propping up the table.

“The league table doesn’t lie,” Johnson said. “We’re certainly on the lookout for new players to freshen up the squad and bring improved quality.

“We’re looking for a defender. We’ve brought a central midfield player in, Chloe Jones, who came in time for the last game of the first part of the season.

“We’re trying to see if there are any other players that might be able to lift us in certain positions. It might be another forward that we need, to go with Ruesha Littlejohn but we’ll have to see.”

The mid-season break coincides with the Women’s World Cup in Germany and Liverpool resume their league campaign away to Arsenal on Sunday, July 24.