Liverpool fans have been in a positive mood all day in the Football Transfer Tavern, having witnessed their side emerge from a tricky away fixture at Swansea with all three points.
A third consecutive league goal from Jordan Henderson secured the victory, and sets up next weekend’s clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford perfectly.
Many see the game between perhaps the bitterest rivals in English football as the shootout for fourth spot, but Brendan Rodgers was keen to point out after the game he is hoping his team can finish even higher this season.
With Manchester City in freefall and Liverpool the form team in the country, a runners up spot is not out of the question – with the current gap at four points.
The Reds have won 10 of their last 13 Premier League matches, and have closed a gap of 11 points on Manchester City in that time.
After a dismal start to the season, Brendan Rodgers side have been playing catch up. But with just nine games remaining, we have identified five reasons why the Reds could manage a runners up spot for the second season running.
[ffc-gallery]
Click on Brendan Rodgers to reveal 5 reasons why Liverpool will get second place in the Premier League
[/ffc-gallery]
Key players are still to return
Steven Gerrard returned as a second half substitute during last night’s game at Swansea, after six matches out with a hamstring injury.
Mamadou Sakho also returned to the defence after almost a month out, whilst Lucas Leiva and Jordon Ibe are expected back in first team action in the next fortnight.
Liverpool are already the form team in the country, having been operating without four regular starters until recent weeks.
The returns of Gerrard, Lucas, Ibe and Sakho will only strengthen the Reds further over the remaining nine matches of the season.
Mignolet looks almost unbeatable
It is hard to think of a player who has experienced a more dramatic turnaround in form in recent years.
Simon Mignolet was dropped ‘indefinitley’ from the first team in December, and returned after just two matches out after an injury to Brad Jones.
In that time, he has looked a different player entirely.
Last night he even equalled a club record from 40 years ago, when he managed a sixth consecutive clean sheet on the road.
The Belgian has made a series of important saves, with him and Liverpool’s new look back three often looking rock solid – particularly away from home.
There is more to come from Daniel Sturridge
Liverpool’s poor start to the season coincided with an injury to Daniel Sturridge which kept him out of action for five months.
Having already lost Luis Suarez to Barcelona, the Reds deserve a lot of credit for the way in which they have recovered without the pair that managed over 50 goals between them last season.
Sturridge has been back for the past eight weeks, and has managed three goals in that time.
It is clear he has not reached the peak of his powers quite yet however, and it is an exciting thought that the England man still has an level to reach over the remaining nine matches of the season.
Home advantage against Manchester United
The game against Manchester United on Sunday looks vital in terms of who will not only finish in the top four, but push on further.
And Liverpool will be grateful they have home advantage in what is looking like one of the most important Liverpool versus Manchester United games of the Premier League era.
United have won just one of their last six visits to Anfield.
Another three points for the Reds on Sunday would see them take plenty of confidence and all the momentum into the season’s final run in.
Last season’s run in will stand them in good stead
Brendan Rodgers historically has seen his side improve dramatically in the second half of the season.
The Reds have averaged 2.5 points a game in each of the last two seasons from January onwards, and last season it almost brought them the Premier League title.
Rodgers side managed 11 consecutive victories, before stumbling at the final hurdle and missing out to Manchester City.
It’s a different target this time around, but the experience of a pressured run in and winning consecutive matches can only help them this time around.
