However, he has regained his touch in the Far East, scoring three times in Liverpool’s victories against Hong Kong and Thailand.

“I don’t think I have anything to prove to anybody,” Heskey told www.liverpoolfc.tv.

“Obviously I didn’t have the best of seasons last year but then the team didn’t perform too well overall.

“I want to score in every game I play and I am feeling good at the moment.

“I feel better than I did last pre-season when we didn’t get too much of a break because of the World Cup.

“We have had a longer break this time and that has helped a lot.”

Heskey, who cost £11m (€15m) from Leicester three years ago, knows he will again be under the spotlight when the season starts.

But he said: “I don’t think there’s more pressure on me than anyone else.

“There’s pressure on the whole team but we’re feeling good at the moment and pre-season is going well.

“We have had a hard week out here and we have put a lot of work in.

“Our performances have been good and now we have a few more games to play before the season starts to give us the chance to keep improving and get to the level that we need for the new season.”

Manager Gerard Houllier is delighted with the way the squad is shaping up.

“Our level of training has been very high and we have done very well in the two matches of the Asia tour, “ he said.

“We are not there yet but the level we are up to is a good standing, that’s for sure.”