Allen sets sights on Amsterdam
Joe Allen insists he sees no reason why Liverpool can't finish his maiden season at the club with silverware by going all the way in the Europa League.
As he prepares for tonight's last 32, first-leg clash with Zenit St Petersburg in Russia, the midfielder outlined why he believes the Reds have what it takes to reach May's Amsterdam final and lift the trophy.
Allen told LFC TV at the team hotel: "It would be an amazing achievement and is one of the reasons I joined this football club.
"This club is about success. I have enjoyed the experience of playing in European competition and with the strength and quality we've got, why shouldn't we be able to go all the way?"
Some have suggested, given Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Monday and their elimination from both domestic cup competitions, that the Europa League has taken on greater significance for the Reds.
Not so, according to Allen.
He explained: "I wouldn't say it's taken on greater significance because from the moment we started out in this tournament, we wanted to go as far as possible.
"Any competition and game we go into we want to win - it's as simple as that. At Liverpool, that's pretty obvious."
Liverpool opted to train at Melwood on Wednesday due to the condition of the pitch at the Petrovsky Stadium before flying out to Russia - and upon arriving in St Petersburg, the Reds were greeted by harsh sub-zero temperatures.
However, Allen insists those factors are something he and his teammates will be able to deal with.
"It's a new experience for me - I've never played in conditions this cold," he said. "The boys have the experience of playing against Anzhi, which was similar, but we'll have to deal with it. It's what you expect in away European ties.
"When you go into new environments, you have to prepare yourself in a slightly different manner, but our job is to come here and perform. There is no better way to do that than completely focus on who we're playing and the game."
The Russian league is currently in the midst of a winter break and Zenit haven't played a competitive game since December.
Does Allen believe that could be to Liverpool's advantage?
"It depends which way you look at it," he said. "In some ways you could say they'll be raring to go, but hopefully it could be beneficial to us because they haven't had competitive matches to prepare and get their sharpness. We'll hope to take advantage of that."
He added: "They're one of the strongest Russian teams. The Russian league has had a bit of a lift in recent years and Zenit have invested a lot of money in a few individuals. The ones who stand out are Hulk, Alex Witsel and Danny.
"They're a team full of talent so we'll have to make sure we're on top of our game to deal with those players."
Allen is part of a strong Liverpool squad that Brendan Rodgers has brought to Russia, but he's hopeful of being given a chance to impress and stake a claim for a regular first-team return.
He said: "Nothing has changed for me. I work hard day in, day out. All I can do is work hard and hope for the chance to get out onto the pitch and stake a claim for a spot in the team.
"From my point of view, my form hasn't been great - especially compared to the start of the season - but I think it's down to myself. I'm looking forward to working hard and trying to turn things around a little bit."