Steven Gerrard won't give up on top-four spot

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has refused to give up on reaching the fourth spot in the Premier League, despite the Merseyside club sitting ten points adrift of the position.

The Reds lengthened the gap between themselves and a Champions League place after losing 2-1 to Arsenal on Saturday.

"A few weeks ago, people were writing off Arsenal's season, but their recent performances show how foolish that is. That's what we need to do now," Gerrard told the The Mirror.

"We still have plenty of points to play for in the league, but it means we can't afford to drop too many more points between now and the middle of May if we want to get back into the top four.

"Competition for the [fourth] Champions League spot is very tough, but we still have to play most of the teams around us, and defeating those sides will still play a major part in deciding where we finish."

Gerrard was sidelined last week with a hamstring injury and it is unclear whether the 31-year-old playmaker will be fit for Liverpool's trip to Sunderland this weekend.