Liverpool's Steven Gerrard on personal mission to deliver a place in top four

13 December 2009 13:07
Liverpool's talismanic captain Steven Gerrard has taken on personal responsibility to ensure his club avoid going into the meltdown predicted by former manager Graeme Souness.[LNB]Gerrard does not dispute Souness's belief that finishing outside the top four this season would have catastrophic consequences for Liverpool.[LNB]Ambitions: Champions League football is a priority for Gerrard[LNB] But the England star says he and the rest of the players can make the argument irrelevant by ensuring the club finish in a Champions League spot, starting by winning their 'cup final' against Arsenal.[LNB]Gerrard said: 'I can't predict that far ahead and say what will happen if we don't finish in the top four. But my job as captain is to make sure leadthat doesn't happen. It's down to the players to take responsibility.[LNB]'It's all right looking at why things are happening but, as players, we need to roll our sleeves up and put it right on the pitch.[LNB]'The league table never lies and we're in the position we are for a reason. It's not puzzling at all, it tells me we haven't been good enough and consistent enough.[LNB]'It's very difficult playing Arsenal. They're one of the best teams in Europe for passing the ball very quickly, so we have to get about them, press them very high up and force them to make mistakes. [LNB]'If we stand off them and let them play, they'll kill us. This is a massive game for us . . . it is like a cup final.'[LNB]Defender Daniel Agger is still haunted by last season's corresponding fixture and has called on more leaders besides Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to stand up and be counted.[LNB]Andriy Arshavin scored four times at Anfield in a remarkable 4-4 draw in April that all but ended Liverpool's title hopes, and Agger says the team need to take 'two steps up' after keeping just one clean sheet at home since September.[LNB]Liverpool ended a woeful Champions League campaign by losing on their own turf to Fiorentina on Wednesday night and Agger said: 'It's not good enough right now. We're conceding late goals again and again. You hope you learn from it, but we're not. We need to help each other, and if that is shouting at each other, we need to do it. But it has to be constructive.'[LNB] LIVERPOOL FC

Source: Daily_Mail