Jonjo: We can complete Italian job
Jonjo Shelvey is adamant Liverpool can travel to Udinese on the final day of the Europa League group stage and come away with a crucial victory after the Reds failed to secure early qualification to the knockout stage against Young Boys at Anfield.
Shelvey played in an advanced role on Thursday night, leading the line for Brendan Rodgers' side and the 20-year-old repaid his manager's faith on 33 minutes when he nodded the home side in front.
And the England international is confident that a repeat of the performance that saw Liverpool narrowly lose to the Italians at Anfield in October will be enough to see the Reds progress when the two sides clash at the Stadio Friuli in December.
"We are a bit disappointed we didn't qualify against Young Boys," Shelvey told Liverpoolfc.com. "We felt that we should have won the game but it was just a lack of concentration towards the end that cost us.
"We'll push on from here and get the three points against Udinese to make sure we qualify.
"It will be a difficult game against them - it was a difficult game here. But that being said, I thought that day we should have won. So we'll go there with the same game plan and hopefully we will nick a result."
Joe Cole's neat exchange with Suso paved the way for Shelvey to apply a simple finish and clinch his fourth Europa League goal of the campaign so far on Thursday night.
It might have been a straightforward strike but the midfielder demonstrated a striker's instinct as he drifted into a position at the far post where he could turn the ball home.
And while the England international insisted he would not be staking a claim for Luis Suarez's shirt any time soon, he remained pleased with his performance in the forward role.
"I found it okay playing in the advanced position," he said. "It was an unfamiliar role for me but I thought I did well and we'll have to see what happens now in terms of playing there again.
"The manager told me not to play too far up the pitch. He told me to drop back into the holes behind their defence. He told me to turn and drive at the defence, so I hope I have done what the gaffer had in mind and I can get another chance on Sunday.
"I'm not sure whether I can play there going forward though. Obviously you have got Luis Suarez playing there and he's a world-class striker and his goals speak for themselves this season. He is the top goalscorer in the Premier League.
"For me, I just want to prove that I'm worthy of a place in the side wherever that may be."