"We want to go as far as we can in this season's Champions League but we also still have to ensure we're in it next season. I'm sure the battle for third will go right down to the wire and we want to claim that third place," said the Liverpool vice captain.
"We didn't make a great start to the season and we know we're a bit behind Chelsea and Man United over a nine-month campaign. The league is a long hard slog and we need to improve.
"We are a level behind the top two and there's a gap that we need to bridge.
"How we go about that is up to the coaching staff and the manager as to which direction they want to go in.
"As players we have got to do as much as we can between now and the end of the season to prove we deserve to still be here next season.
"Whether the squad needs strengthening is nothing to do with me. It's for the manager to decide what happens and, as a player, all you can do is just look at yourself."