Steven Gerrard's return from injury can help propel Liverpool into the top four.
That's the view of former Anfield stars Nigel Spackman and Don Hutchison who told Goals on Sunday that the Reds skipper's dynamism and ability to inspire those around him will stand the club in good stead for the rest of the season.
Gerrard, 31, made his comeback from an ankle problem to score in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Newcastle on Friday night.
And both Spackman and Hutchison think he can drive the Merseysiders into a Champions League spot come the end of the campaign.
"It's great that Steven Gerrard is back, especially with Luis Suarez set to be out for a while," said Spackman, who made 51 league appearances for the Reds between 1987 and 1999.
"I think Liverpool have been really good defensively this season and now getting Steven back, the focal point, the energy of the team, they can push for that fourth spot."
Hutchison said: "Andy Carroll is a fantastic footballer but he's going through a period at the moment where he is a little bit short of confidence.
"But as soon as Steven Gerrard came on (against Newcastle) Carroll hit the crossbar and had a chance that he should have done better with. Carroll looks at Steven and trusts him."
Liverpool are vying with Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea for a spot in the top four and could have been higher than their current position of sixth had they not spurned a plethora of goal-scoring opportunities so far this term.
Hutchison, though, thinks he knows the antidote to the Reds attacking problems: they should swap their widemen around and snap up a proven goal-getter during the January transfer window.
"Liverpool is improving," said Hutchison, who joined the Anfield club from Hartlepool in 1990 and left for West Ham four years later.
"The issue I've got - and I'm not going to tell Kenny Dalglish what to do - is that Liverpool are playing Stewart Downing down the right-hand side and Craig Bellamy down the left. If they had switched them, I think they could have had a lot more goals."
Hutchison added: "It will be interesting to see if Kenny does anything in January with Suarez missing for eight games.
"They could possibly sign a centre-forward - a Darren Bent, a Jermain Defoe - someone who can guarantee you 15-20 goals a season."
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