Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool are in the midst of a dogfight to claim a Champions League spot despite an excellent display to gain a draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Reds are now three points behind fourth-placed Everton, albeit with a game in hand, following the Toffees' victory over Reading. With Aston Villa and Man City also claiming three points at the weekend, there appears to be four genuine contenders vying for entry into European football's top competition.
Gerrard knows he and his team-mates must now perform like they did against Chelsea week in, week out in order to thwart one of the new pretenders breaking up the so-called big four.
"We've now got to focus on fighting for this fourth place and we realise it's going to be difficult." said the skipper.
"There are a lot of teams around us in good form and playing well, so it's important we don't let our standards drop – otherwise we won't get fourth."
While recognising the challenge ahead, Gerrard believes Liverpool supporters can take great heart from the commitment present throughout the team on Sunday.
He explained: "I think this is the benchmark for us now in terms of the character we showed.
"Certain players who've had a bit of criticism of late played very well and it was a good team performance against a side that have been playing very well lately. There are a lot of positives.
"All round you can't fault any player. I said in an interview a couple of days ago that you need every player to perform when you come to places like Stamford Bridge, and I think we got that.
"I've been here before and we've been dominated for large periods of the game, but I think we controlled the majority of the match and it felt out there like we could have maybe snatched it.
"It's definitely an improvement on how we've been playing of late. Defensively we looked more solid and we were the better side over the 90 minutes. If anyone was going to win it, I thought it was going to be us."
Liverpool's trip to Stamford Bridge will be followed later in the season by visits to Old Trafford and the Emirates, grounds where, of late, few points have been obtained.
Gerrard added: "When we do go to those places we've got to perform like we did here, and maybe an extra five or 10 per cent can see us snatch a win.
"I just thought we lacked a tiny bit of cutting edge in the final third, but I can't fault many other things. I thought it was a good team performance."
The Reds are now three points behind fourth-placed Everton, albeit with a game in hand, following the Toffees' victory over Reading. With Aston Villa and Man City also claiming three points at the weekend, there appears to be four genuine contenders vying for entry into European football's top competition.
Gerrard knows he and his team-mates must now perform like they did against Chelsea week in, week out in order to thwart one of the new pretenders breaking up the so-called big four.
"We've now got to focus on fighting for this fourth place and we realise it's going to be difficult." said the skipper.
"There are a lot of teams around us in good form and playing well, so it's important we don't let our standards drop – otherwise we won't get fourth."
While recognising the challenge ahead, Gerrard believes Liverpool supporters can take great heart from the commitment present throughout the team on Sunday.
He explained: "I think this is the benchmark for us now in terms of the character we showed.
"Certain players who've had a bit of criticism of late played very well and it was a good team performance against a side that have been playing very well lately. There are a lot of positives.
"All round you can't fault any player. I said in an interview a couple of days ago that you need every player to perform when you come to places like Stamford Bridge, and I think we got that.
"I've been here before and we've been dominated for large periods of the game, but I think we controlled the majority of the match and it felt out there like we could have maybe snatched it.
"It's definitely an improvement on how we've been playing of late. Defensively we looked more solid and we were the better side over the 90 minutes. If anyone was going to win it, I thought it was going to be us."
Liverpool's trip to Stamford Bridge will be followed later in the season by visits to Old Trafford and the Emirates, grounds where, of late, few points have been obtained.
Gerrard added: "When we do go to those places we've got to perform like we did here, and maybe an extra five or 10 per cent can see us snatch a win.
"I just thought we lacked a tiny bit of cutting edge in the final third, but I can't fault many other things. I thought it was a good team performance."
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