Gerrard: It's top four or failure

The Reds are currently fifth in the Premiership, just a point behind Newcastle, having already won the Worthington Cup. While winning a trophy is a great achievement, Gerrard feels that it will mean little if Liverpool do not overhaul the Magpies or Chelsea in the final three games of the campaign.

"You look at the season and, if we don't qualify for the Champions League, it'll have been a failure even though we've won the Worthington Cup", he told the club's official website.

"It's still a failure if we don't get in that top four because all the players, the staff and the fans want Champions League football. That's where the club belongs. We'll learn more there, but it's the biggest stage and this club belongs on that stage.

"We've got big players at this club who are desperate to play on the biggest stage against the biggest teams.

"We won the UEFA Cup and played in the Champions League, so we've experienced them each in the last two seasons, but it's important we stay in the Champions League now and we do for as long as possible.

"We've got to finish in the top four, so we've got to keep the pressure on. Hopefully someone above us will slip up and we'll sneak in."