Source: Daily_Mail
Pepe Reina challenges Liverpool to show they're 90-minute men
Aiming higher: Liverpool record-breaker Reina[LNB]Pepe Reina has called for Liverpool to knuckle down for the crucial Christmas period before getting carried away with where they can finish up this season.[LNB]The Spain international, who has been one of the more outspoken members of the dressing room in calling for significant investment in the squad, believes the players now have to take care of matters on the pitch and allow the board to make improvements off it.[LNB]A fourth successive Barclays Premier League victory at Anfield was achieved with relative ease against Aston Villa on Monday night, lifting the club up to eighth and six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.[LNB]As they had done in their last home game, against West Ham, Liverpool produced most of their best play in the first half with goals from David Ngog and Ryan Babel.[LNB]The previous weekend they dominated before the interval at Tottenham only to lose in injury-time.[LNB] Reds romp: David Ngog (centre) scores Liverpool's first goal against Aston Villa[LNB]Reina, who became the Liverpool goalkeeper to reach 100 league clean sheets faster than anyone else in the club's history against Villa, believes consistency in both halves and also home and away will be the Reds' salvation.[LNB]And all talk of new arrivals and investment in the team must be put to one side.[LNB]'I am always talking about these things and I don't want to be annoying saying the same things,' he said. 'We all expect Liverpool to be one of the top clubs and it is on the manager and the new owners to level up that but all we can do is play football and do as well as we can.[LNB]'We know anyone can beat anyone and it has happened so many times this season so we have to be consistent and find that balance which makes us stay up there and fight to be as high as possible. We are 10 points adrift of the leaders (Arsenal) but it is just some space.[LNB]'Knowing the ideas and keeping the shape and philosophy we have to find ourselves playing with more confidence now and aim a bit higher.[LNB]'We are happy just because we have shown, especially in the first halves, better performances and the team has been more consistent and more focused from the first minute.[LNB] Red hot: Ngog celebrates his goal during Liverpool's assured performance[LNB]'That is something which the team lacked in the first 10 matches and now we have found ourselves better from the first minute we have to keep that.'[LNB]Reina, who has captained the side in the last two games but is likely to relinquish the armband to a returning Steven Gerrard at managerless Newcastle on Saturday, thinks the coming month could be pivotal in their season.[LNB]The fixture list certainly does not look that daunting, with home games against Fulham, Wolves and Bolton and trips to Blackpool and Blackburn before near-neighbours Everton arrive on January 16.[LNB]By that point Reina believes Liverpool will have a clear idea about what to expect from a season which started disastrously but has picked up, with the odd hiccup away from home, in recent weeks.[LNB]'We said when we played Birmingham - the fourth league fixture - we knew it was going to take a while with a new manager, new players coming in and new ideas,' said the 28-year-old. 'Hopefully we can once again build from a good home win.[LNB]'There is never an easy game - we lost to Blackpool at home and we have to play them in Blackpool - and we know the Christmas period is vital, crucial.[LNB]'After those four games (up to Bolton on January 1) we can start talking about where the team is going to aim.'[LNB] Now we must go on a run! Liverpool striker Ngog wants Reds to push onTorres welcomes baby 'Leo' after dodging Liverpool win to be at birthLiverpool set to turn attention to Diarra if Real Madrid pip them to M'VilaLiverpool battle Marseille for Fanni as Rennes hope to push through £3m dealLIVERPOOL FC
