Houllier enjoying Champions League challenge

The Reds currently lie sixth in the Premiership table - a point behind Merseyside rivals Everton and five adrift of fourth placed Chelsea. Such a deficit, one would think, should not be the source of contentment. Houllier though, knowing that his side have the chance to claim points against both their rivals for fourth spot, looks upon his sides predicament as a challenge to be relished.

Houllier said: "There are six games to go and we know what we have to do. We will give it our best shot and look to win all of the games.

"All of the players want to play in the Champions League and we will do our best to get there. I am excited by the challenge that lies ahead and I relish it.

"We all have one aim between now and the end of the season and it is up to us to show the best of ourselves in the games we have left. We may need to win our last six games, but we have done it before and I am hopeful we can do it again.

"We have been very unlucky in some games. There have been matches where we have played well but not got the results we have deserved. Sometimes you can have seasons like that.

"If we had won some of our drawn matches at home then we would be in the top four. We are a confident, young team which is growing all the time. There is a fine line between where we are and where we want to be.

"It has been a difficult season in terms of results but that belongs to the past now. We will just look to take each of the six games we have left as they come and do our best to win them all."