Steven Gerrard is optimistic Liverpool can achieve its goal of UEFA Champions League qualification this season — but believes remaining in the mix heading into 2014 will prove crucial.
The Reds currently sit second in the Barclays Premier League standings following Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Gerrard acknowledges the start Brendan Rodgers‘ side has made to 2013-14 will have caught the eye. However, the captain has stressed the importance of remaining fully focused and proving what Liverpool are capable of.
“Everyone is taking points off one another and I’m sure other teams are taking note that we are a threat to them,” he said.
“But to be honest, I’m not too bothered about what people are saying about us. I know what this team is capable of. The main thing for us is to keep fighting and show that we are capable of staying in these positions to around Christmas time and then we will see where that takes us. The only way we will do that is by winning games.
“We have come away to two tough places and taken maximum points from Aston Villa and Sunderland. It’s very important that we get ourselves into a good position because there is nothing worse than going into the New Year having left yourself too much to do. We want to make sure that we go into the next international break with another three points to ensure that we are in a fabulous position. Nobody here will be getting carried away.
“We had had a tough week. There had been the draw at Swansea, the very disappointing performance against Southampton when we didn’t turn up and then we had mixed emotions after Manchester United because we had played well but not got the result. It was important that we got back to winning ways and it has put us in a nice position in the table.
“We know next week that without a shadow of a doubt we have got to approach the game against Crystal Palace with a completely different manner than we did against Southampton. We have got to make sure we have got the intensity of a cup final.”
