Lucas: My trophy belief
Lucas Leiva admits his immediate aim is to try and help Liverpool finish above Everton this season – but the Brazilian has his sights set on much more than local bragging rights long term.
The Reds play host to the Blues at Anfield on Sunday afternoon with our neighbours sitting five points and one position above Brendan Rodgers' side.
A win for Everton will ensure they end the campaign above Liverpool in the table - and Lucas is determined to do all he can to try and prevent that from happening.
However, the No.21 is confident he'll be fighting for much more than city pride over the course of the new long-term contract he penned in April.
Lucas said: "We know how important it is in the city and to the fans to see Liverpool finishing above Everton. That's the way it is, and we hope to achieve that. It would mean we are one position higher in the table but really we want more than that.
"The new contract will cover the best years of my career and I am glad they will be at Liverpool because I have worked hard to establish myself here.
"I really believe the club will be back to where it belongs soon, fighting for titles and Champions League qualification, and we can do it no matter how difficult it has been this season. If I didn't have that belief I may not have signed.
"This club has given me everything as a player and a person. I want to repay that and help take the club back."
Liverpool have turned in some outstanding performances in 2012-13, most recently last Saturday in the 6-0 victory at Newcastle United.
However, Lucas accepts the Reds are still searching for a level of consistency that will ensure they challenge at the top end of the table - but he's in no doubt they're heading in the right direction under Rodgers stewardship.
He said: "It wasn't just the manager who changed [last summer]. There were a lot of changes to the playing staff as well, in and out, and that doesn't help the team. You need to know each other well and if you look at the teams that fight for the title and the top positions they have a really strong spine that has been together for a long time.
"That is what Brendan is trying to build here, a team that is going to be really good in the future. He's a manager who all the players look at and think is the right man for the job, not only now but for the future.
"The second half of the season has been a lot more positive because we know how Brendan wants us to play. We want to finish strongly and take that into next season."
Lucas missed a large part of the beginning of the season after picking up a thigh problem in the opening home game of the campaign against Manchester City in August. He'd previously spent a long period of time on the treatment table due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee.
Nonetheless, the Brazilian has rarely looked back since he returned to action in December and is confident he'll continue to go from strength to strength.
"Personally I'm only halfway through a season given how much time I missed with injury," explained Lucas. "Having two injuries so close to each other stopped me improving at a time when I was feeling really good and playing well.
"My target for this season was just to get playing again regularly. The performances will improve as my fitness improves and my confidence improves. Two big injuries in a short space of time does affect your confidence.
"Next season I think is going to be perfect for me because I will be 100 per cent."