Rodgers: We can't make any mistakes
Brendan Rodgers is expecting a gruelling test against Aston Villa on Saturday, but is backing his players to continue Liverpool's upward trend.
The Reds welcome Paul Lambert's charges to Anfield on the back of a four-game winning streak in 2014, with Stoke City the last side to be overcome by the Merseyside outfit in an epic 5-3 encounter at the Britannia Stadium.
Villa, meanwhile, had Arsenal on the ropes in their previous encounter, but suffered a 2-1 home defeat.
When asked about the character his next opponents displayed against the Gunners on Monday night, Rodgers said: "They've got the capacity to do that.
"Paul's an outstanding manager and he's gone into one of the great clubs of tradition in this country, and he's had a big job to do there, and I think with what he's got, he's doing it remarkably well.
"They will always fight. I think what they showed in the game the other night is what they showed against us at Villa Park. They get their tails up, gain a bit of momentum and you're up against it.
"They did that against Arsenal, who were very good in the first half, and then Villa came out in the second half and did very well. It was a close game. I expect it to be similar [on Saturday].
"They're a tough team, have good threats up front with their pace and their counter attacks in particular. And for us, we know we can't make any mistakes."
With Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal continuing their onslaught for Premier League honours, does Rodgers believe Liverpool are still in with a title shout? "We've got all those teams to play at home, and we're only six points off the leaders, so you have to feel that we are, and we have the confidence and belief in ourselves," said the manager.
"Of course, everyone will talk about the three clubs that's there in front of us because they've got squads that have been around there for years and have big squads to choose from.
"For us it's a case of continually improving and working, and trying to fight to be up there. It's very close, and since Christmas Day, the table has changed quite a bit. You win a game, you get a run together and you're right up there. You lose a few, and you can be completely out of it.
"We have to maintain our focus and concentration. You really have to push during the second half of the season and keep your standards high, not just on the games, but every day in training.
"Thankfully I have a group of players that are brilliantly focused and are determined to maintain our standards, take it into every game and ensure we get the points."
The dynamics at the top of the table is tight, and Rodgers agreed that it is a motivating factor for the Reds to maintain their encouraging form.
"I think we showed that last week [against Stoke] when we were one of the last teams to play, and all those in and around us won, so we knew we had to perform to stay up there and above the dotted line as such.
"We've responded to that, and I think over the course of a long period of time, we've shown that consistency.
"I just have to make sure we keep the pressure off the players, and just focus on our performances, because when we've done that, we've shown we can win games."