Mascherano's future has been cast into some doubt of late by suggestions from the Argentina captain he had not ruled out a summer departure from Anfield.

Manager Rafael Benitez had previously made it clear he was going nowhere, and Mascherano has now added his voice to that view.

Mascherano says: "My future is here. I am here and I will continue to give 100% and it will always be like this. I think we have taken a big step this season, a really big step.

"In the past three or four seasons Liverpool have lost the league maybe in December or January but this time we are there right at the very end of the season and we still have a chance so this is very important.

"Our job now is to continue to work hard and to improve because we have shown that we can win against the biggest teams."

The frustration for Liverpool is that they could end the campaign having scored more goals than Manchester United, lost just two games against United's four, achieved a bigger goal difference and also completed a double over the Old Trafford side.

Former West Ham men Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun played key roles in Saturday's 3-0 victory over their former club at the Boleyn Ground that put Liverpool top for 24 hours, before United comfortably beat Manchester City on Sunday.

And it is Benayoun who has pin-pointed the time, mid-season, when the damage was done to Liverpool's title chase.

United should seal the four points they need on Wednesday at Wigan and then at home to Arsenal on Saturday, and be crowned champions before Liverpool play next at West Brom on Sunday.

Liverpool's demise has been caused by costly home draws with Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull, as well as away draws at Stoke and Wigan.

Benayoun said: "We put up a good performance at West Ham, but to score quickly took a lot of pressure off us.

"But it will still be difficult now to win the title. Manchester United are top and still have a game in hand, regardless of how well we play on Saturday.

"They have proved themselves over the years and are a very strong side.

"But we still hope they will slip up, although it could be all over by the weekend if they win their next two games with us not playing again until Sunday.

"If they do win their games they will deserve to be champions, but hopefully there will still be a chance left for us."

He added: "We know that we did our best right to the end, our current run of wins has been impressive.

"But we will know where we let ourselves down during the season. We lost too many points against teams below us in the table at home.

"The period before Christmas and around the end of February was when we drew a lot of games. We lost too many points then, and that was the time that Manchester United got their confidence back and took over at the top of the league.

"They have been very disciplined, but hopefully they will still leave us with a chance to keep the season going. If not, we will have great confidence going into next season.

"But we believe we will still win the title soon, I am 100% certain of that.

"Steven Gerrard has said that very clearly, and we are all behind him on that. If we continue to play like we have been, it will happen soon."