Lucas makes pledge for next season
'I'll be back to my best next season' was the message from Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva as Liverpool completed their 2012-13 campaign with victory over Queens Park Rangers.
The 26-year-old returned to first-team action at the outset of the season following serious injury but suffered a second problem within minutes of our home fixture against Manchester City.
But the defensive enforcer came back again to make a total of 31 appearances in all competitions and expects even more to follow when football resumes in July.
He told LFC TV: "I knew it was going to be a difficult season for me, coming back from a difficult injury.
"Unfortunately, I got another bad one at the beginning of the season. I think the balance was very positive because I played half of the season and in the last five or six games I really felt better.
"Next season is going to be an important one for me because I think I will be at the level I was before the injury.
"This season was positive because I could get through the injuries and the games. Of course I want to do better because we can always do better."
The match with QPR will be remembered as Jamie Carragher's finale before retirement and Lucas reflected that he would be pleased with just half of the defender's Liverpool achievements.
"We were more emotional than Carra probably. As he says, he's not an emotional person but we can see what he's done for the club," the midfielder added.
"It's just a dream for any player to achieve what he achieved for Liverpool. I hope I can get half of his achievements because I would be very proud.
"On a daily basis you can see his passion. Every day he is a warrior and a fighter - he doesn't like to lose anything. That shows the character that he has. He is a symbol of the club."