GERARD HOULLIER has challenged his players to prove their quality by keeping their title dreams alive.
Liverpool are deflated after losing their Champions League quarter-final with Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, but Houllier insists that good sides never lose two games in succession.
And he is confident that if his battle-weary players can prove their quality by bouncing back to beat Sunderland today, then they still have a massive chance of winning the title.
Arsenal hold the whip hand in the Premiership race, but Houllier is convinced that they will slip up somewhere on the run-in and let Liverpool in.
"Coming back after a defeat is a hallmark of a team's character and its quality. Good sides never lose two games in succession," he said.
"A side of genuine quality always performs and always gets a result on the back of a bad performance and the players know that - I have already spoken to them at length about it. It was a real blow to go out of the Champions League, but it happens.
"What we must do is respond because our reputation as a good side is on the line, and our title hopes as well."
Houllier is still confident that if Liverpool win their remaining four Premiership matches, starting at the Stadium of Light today, then they can still lift the championship trophy.
Arsenal have the destiny of the title in their hands, but the French coach believes that they will slip up somewhere along the way.
"We are still very much in contention for the title, that is why I have stressed to the players that we must get a result after our bad midweek performance," he said.
"Of course Arsenal have got all the cards in hand. They have still got the better chance points wise, but they also still have difficult games to come, like Manchester United and Bolton away, so we still have a real chance.
"What I know is that it is not finished yet. Something always happens in football. Arsenal are in a good position, but there are obstacles ahead for them. Something will come along and happen to throw it open.
"If it does, then we have to be ready. If we win all our matches, then it will put the pressure on and maybe make something happen. All I know is that the title race is not over yet."
Liverpool have doubts over Steven Gerrard for the Sunderland game - and for England next week - and Emile Heskey is definitely out for 10 days with a slight hamstring strain. Skipper Sami Hyypia is also a doubt after missing training with a flu virus, but the chances are he'll be fit.
Houllier is anxious for Liverpool to maintain their winning run in the League, which has seen them take 28 points from their last 30, to show that the club has maintained its constant improvement under his managership.
Houllier points to a progression every season since he arrived almost three and a half years ago and he said: "We have got to finish the job now. We have hit a winning run and we need to maintain that to show our improvement once more.
"What I've noticed is that every year we have improved our position and this season we have done that again.
"We are consistent and we are proud of the fact that we are already on 68 points. It makes me even prouder because we have done that this season despite playing 17 games in Europe.
"Leeds and Chelsea got to the latter stages of the Champions League but then didn't qualify for the competition again the next season. We are going to do that, and that is a major achievement."
Liverpool beat Sunderland at Anfield following their only other European defeat this season, to Barcelona, and assistant boss Phil Thompson is hoping for a similar result today.
"After European games this season we have always performed very, very well," he said.
"We will be looking to the players now to see if they can refocus after what happened on Tuesday night and be ready for Sunderland."