Brendan: Aims can still be achieved
A stuttering start to 2014-15 has not altered Brendan Rodgers' aims for Liverpool's campaign, with the manager insisting that his players have the ability to battle for a Champions League qualification spot.
The Northern Irishman's team have experienced a frustrating season to date, yielding only four victories from their dozen Barclays Premier League matches so far - which leaves the Reds in 12th position as they prepare to host Stoke City.
Yet they remain only three points behind traditional rivals Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, while the gap to fourth place and the European reward it brings is five points at the outset of the weekend's action.
Rodgers, therefore, retains confidence that with two-thirds of the Premier League fixture schedule still to navigate, Liverpool can plot a route back into contention at the table's upper reaches.
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"It's as wide open as it's ever been in the Premier League," the boss told the Liverpool Echo ahead of the visit of the Potters to Anfield this afternoon.
"At this moment in time our target is fourth place. It was the same objective last year - guarantee fourth and then work towards moving higher.
"It's a unique season. The team in fourth has 19 points. We're only five points off that and it's fair to say we haven't really hit any sort of form whatsoever.
"Make no mistake, that's still our target. I still believe we'll be good enough to achieve that. We have had our problems and issues so far this season but it's something this group is capable of doing.
"People will look at us and say: 'they haven't really started yet but they are still in and about it'. Our performances can only get better - and they will get better.
"We have a game in the Champions League which if we win we will qualify from the group stages, we have a quarter-final in the League Cup and so much to play for in the league. We just need to find the momentum and rhythm needed to push us back up where we want to be."