Steven Gerrard will hope to round off a fine week when Liverpool entertain Stoke at Anfield as they try to maintain their pursuit of a European place.
Gerrard scored the winning goal in Liverpool's 1-0 League Cup semi-final first-leg win at Premier League leaders Manchester City on Wednesday.
And then the England midfielder, 31, followed that up by signing a long-term deal that will keep him at the club for the rest of his career before he undertakes an ambassadorial role at Anfield.
The Reds go into the weekend in sixth place and have attracted criticism for the performances of expensive new signings Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing.
Liverpool -- who have not won any silverware since the FA Cup in 2006 -- must, given the league title looks beyond them, either win the League Cup or the FA Cup to avoid their trophy drought stretching into next season, which would be their longest spell without honours since a barren run from 1966 to 1973.
But Gerrard, who missed most of last year through injury, maintains he would not have signed a new contract with the club if he did not believe the Reds were going in the right direction.
"This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy," he said. "I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world. To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want.
"There will be more highs and lows, there's no doubt about it as that's part and parcel of being a football player at a top club.
"The important thing is that you react well to the lows and experience more of the highs. I'm confident moving forward that the club is going in the right direction.
"We've got a fantastic team, we've got the right owners in place and the right team behind our team, so I'm really confident we'll have more good experiences in the future."
Midfielder Jay Spearing is doubtful for the game against the Potters after limping out of the City victory with a hamstring problem.
But other than Lucas Leiva, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has no other fitness concerns ahead of the weekend.
Stoke have caused the Reds plenty of problems at the Britannia Stadium in recent years but have not won at Anfield since 1959.
Irish midfielder Glenn Whelan, 27, has also signed a new deal this week, extending his agreement with the Midlands club until 2015.
Tony Pulis's side are now a well-established Premier League power and Whelan feels there are only more good times ahead for the club, which is now in its fourth season back in the top flight.
"I am excited about what the next few years could have in store, and I am proud to be a part of it as we look to continue the club's excellent progress," Whelan said.
"All of the hard work I have done over the past 12 months has paid off.
"To play at Wembley twice, reach the FA Cup final (where Stoke lost to Manchester City last season), play in Europe and be doing well at international level has certainly made it a memorable time for me."
Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson and striker Mamady Sidibe will once again be sidelined with knee problems.
Source: AFP
