Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge insists that securing fourth place in the Barclays Premier League has to remain the priority despite manager Brendan Rodgers suggesting second-placed Manchester City can be caught.
The fifth-placed Reds are only four points adrift of Manuel Pellegrini’s stuttering side but Sturridge believes their focus has to be ensuring they have Champions League football again next season.
“It is important to secure fourth place and then from there look on,” said the England international.
“To finish in the top four is realistic for us, it’s what we’re aiming to do, and if we can get higher than that then perfect.
“But finishing in the top four is the objective and that’s the most important thing for us. It’s not about aiming for anything other than that now.
“If we can finish in the top four, then we can push on and challenge for the title again next season.
“I think top four is definitely possible for us.”
Sturridge spent five months out recovering from thigh and calf injuries but when he returned to the side at the end of January he found the team had come through a slump which virtually coincided with his absence.
The top four looked a long way off in mid-December when they were seven points off fourth place and not playing well but now they look like recreating something similar to last season’s effort when they won 11 matches in a row on their way to second.
“The boys have fought back and we’re where we are now, and that is testament to the hard work everyone has put in to get to where we are today,” Sturridge told liverpoolfc.com.
“It (the formation) is working. Everyone is defending very well, Si Mignolet (goalkeeper) is doing extremely well also. It’s great to see and long may it continue.
“In terms of how we go out there with a positive attitude, try to play our football, try to break down the opposition and create chances to score goals.
“Sometimes maybe we don’t create as we did last season, but I feel that as long as we’re winning games, that’s all that matters.”
Victory over United on Sunday would see Liverpool return to the top four for the first time since the opening weekend of the season and midfielder Adam Lallana believes that would be significant for the final two months of the campaign.
“Psychologically, it’s massive for us, because if we win we go above United and we get a foot in the top four,” he told talkSPORT.
“But it’s not all decisive on this game, there are still another eight games after.
“There are constantly going to be twists and turns, I’m sure. Tottenham and Southampton are still in and around the fight as well, so they are going to want to be picking up points to make it almost three teams out of six getting into the top four.”
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Liverpool forward Rickie Lambert hasbeen omitted from Roy Hodgson’s England squad for their games against Italy and Lithuania next week.
The 33-year-old is overlooked with Tottenham’s Harry Kane called up instead.
Lambert has been out-of-favour at Anfield of late and has only started one match since mid-December (when the Reds changed formation) – that being against AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup in early January.
The £4 million summer signing turned down a deadline day move to Aston Villa, but has barely featured since – featuring four times as a sub, for a combined time of 35 minutes.
It’s a shame that Lambert has been used in this manner by Brendan Rodgers and does leave you wondering why exactly he even signed the player.
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James Milner and Danny Ings have both been linked with summer moves to Anfield, and James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo claims there is genuine interest in the duo.
Milner and Ings
“The club are certainly interested in Milner, and they would be crazy not to be,” he said.
“He is very underrated and you can see him being a Brendan Rodgers type of player, given his energy, athleticism and versatility.
“Ings is also one where there is definite interest. Like Milner, he ticks a lot of the boxes Rodgers looks for in a player.
“In terms of other signings, there’s a lot of players being watched and scouts being dispatched around Europe, but it’s still very early days.
“I don’t think we’ll see eight or nine players signed like last summer; more like four or five.”
Expiring Contracts
Pearce also discussed the futures of several Liverpool players, including Joe Allen, Kolo Toure and Jon Flanagan – the latter two whose current deals expire this summer.
Pearce explained that: “[Brendan] Rodgers has no say in contract talks.
“Ian Ayre [chief executive] and Mike Gordon [club director] are the two main contract officials.”
On Toure, Pearce explained: “I spoke to him recently and he said he’s got a really difficult decision to make.
“The club have offered him a 12-month extension, but does he want to finish his career as a squad player or playing every week somewhere else? He’s such an infectious and popular character I hope he stays.
On midfielder Allen, whose current deals run to 2017: “I don’t see Allen being an issue whatsoever.
“He’s in the early stages of talks and I expect him to sign a two or three year extension to his current deal. He wants to stay and Rodgers sees him as a key player going forward.
On local lad Flanagan, who has recently returned to full training after missing the whole of the campaign with a knee injury: “Flanagan is Liverpool through and through, and Rodgers sees him as a big part of the future too. He’s had a torrid year with injury, but a new contract should be sorted before the end of the season.”
Sturridge’s Form
Finally, Pearce spoke about the form of Daniel Sturridge, and whether Liverpool could actually finish second in the Premier League this season.
“Sturridge’s form is a concern, and it is a genuine question as to whether he starts on Sunday (against Man United). He’s just not stretching defenders like he can, and his movement is poor,” explained Pearce.
“Sometimes when you return from injury the adrenalin gets you through the first bit, as he showed when he came on against West Ham, but when you miss the amount of action he has, it’s bound to take time to get back to your top level.”
Asked about a potential top-two finish, Pearce said: “I think second has to be seen as achievable now. Momentum counts for a lot and Liverpool have got it and Man City haven’t.
“Although they still look likely to finish in the top two, if they slip up again there will be some City fans starting to sweat.
RELATED: Liverpool “have no intention” to pay Raheem Sterling £150k per week
Would you like to see Toure and Flanagan stay? Are you happy with Sturridge’s form? Let us know in the comments below.
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There has been much talk about Raheem Sterling‘s contract demands at Liverpool in recent weeks, but the Echo’s James Pearce claims the club won’t bow down to the demands of the player’s representatives.
According to Pearce, the Reds’ chief reporter for the Liverpool Echo, the vast wages Sterling’s representatives are demanding will not be met – but he still expects the young star to remain at Anfield.
“I’m baffled as to how his representatives are turning their nose up at £100,000 a week. Sterling is 20 years of age. He’s not a world-class player, and although he’s potentially top class, he’s not yet the finished product.
“I don’t believe that Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are waiting in the wings ready to swoop and pay him what he wants this summer.
“He owes a lot to Brendan Rodgers for making him the player he is. Not many players of his age have played over 100 games for a top club, and if he has any sense he will stay and sign a five-year contract. I believe that will be the case, and that common sense will prevail.”
Pearce also spoke about Jordan Henderson‘s current contract talks, saying that despite a few complex issues, he firmly believes the vice-captain will sign on the dotted line sooner rather than later.
“It’s a bit of an awkward stand-off at the moment because £80,000 a week has been offered but Henderson wants over £100,000 a week.
“A lot of it has to do with Henderson replacing Steven Gerrard as captain, with his representatives feeling he should be rewarded appropriately for becoming such a big player at the club.
“It’s interesting how Brendan Rodgers has backtracked in recent weeks with regards to the captaincy, saying nothing is guaranteed. I think that is linked to the contract situation.
“Henderson has absolutely no intention of leaving though, and loves it at Liverpool. The situation will get sorted.”
Sterling’s current contract expires in 2017, while Henderson’s expires next summer, 2016.
Let us know your thoughts on Sterling and Henderson’s contract sagas in the comments below.
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