Gerrard: It didn't come down to Basel

The Reds needed to beat the Swiss side in the final group game at Anfield to progress into the knockout phase of the tournament.

However, though Gerrard's stunning 81st-minute free-kick cancelled out Fabian Frei's first-half effort and set up an exciting finale, it was not to be as Liverpool bowed out of the competition.

And the captain feels the team did not do enough over the course of the previous five Group B games to move into the last 16.

"We haven't gone out of the competition because of our performance [on Tuesday]," the 34-year-old reflected post-match. "We've gone out because away at Basel we weren't good enough and in our last game [Ludogorets away] we conceded a stupid goal towards injury time.

"You always qualify over the six games and unfortunately we have not been good enough."

Liverpool's efforts to overturn Frei's opener suffered a blow when substitute Lazar Markovic was shown a straight red card on the hour mark after he was deemed to have raised a high arm in the direction of Behrang Safari.

"The red card didn't help of course," continued Gerrard. "We knew that if we were still in the game with 20-25 minutes to go and we could get that goal it would have been hell for Basel, but unfortunately we just never had enough energy or enough legs in the last 15-20 because the referee sent him off.

"Still, we knew it was going to be difficult because we were running out of time and we had 10 men and they were making it really difficult for us, but the goal gave us that bit of hope and it made a game of it.

"The manager said at half-time it was not good enough first half, but if we're going to go out we need to go out with a fight. The fans turned up in their numbers again and got behind us but unfortunately we couldn't get there in the end."

Gerrard was asked whether he felt Liverpool would be able to secure a return to next season's Champions League competition by clinching a top-four finish.

"We'll have to wait and see," the No.8 replied. "I think what is crucial is that we get our main striker [Daniel Sturridge] back who is capable of getting the goals to get us into the top four.

"We need to get Mario Balotelli back firing as well. If we can get goals in the team it gives us a better chance.

"But at the moment it's a bit of a rollercoaster. It's tough but take nothing away from the lads that are here slogging away every week. Rickie Lambert has ran himself into the ground in the last five games.

"Unfortunately this game has come as too many in such a short space of time because we are short of numbers. But of course this club always tries to strengthen, tries to improve. We dust ourselves down and go again."