Gerrard staying realistic

Steven Gerrard has admitted Liverpool must focus on finishing in the top four rather than trying to win the Premier League.

The Reds have made a dismal start to the season, dropping more points than would have been expected of them and crashing out of the UEFA Champions League as well.

Gerrard is refusing to give up hope but accepts that his side have a lot of work to do to get back into the title race.

Liverpool are currently fifth in the table, two points adrift of Arsenal having played a game more, and Gerrard concedes the priority is to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Chelsea would appear to be out of Liverpool's reach at the summit, while the immediate threat to Liverpool may come from the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa in the hunt for fourth place.

"I think we have to be realistic," Gerrard told talkSPORT. "At the moment we're out of the title race, but we will keep trying to get back in it.

"There is still a lot of football to be played and it is possible to turn it around, but I think Chelsea are looking really strong at the moment.

"But our main target is to get back into the top four. We're coming off the back of a fantastic win at Everton and we want to continue that against Blackburn and try and go on a run of games where we can get closer to the teams above us."

Gerrard, 29, is due to make his 500th appearance for the Anfield club in Saturday's encounter with Blackburn.

He said: "It means everything to me personally. I'm a local boy and my dream when I was young was always just to play one game for Liverpool. So to reach this milestone is a really proud moment for my family and myself."

The only major medal missing from Gerrard's collection after an outstanding career with Liverpool is a league title and he has no plans to rest until he achieves it.

"It's been too long without a league title and because it is missing from my collection it is one that I'm most desperate for going forward," he added.

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