Jürgen Klopp is insistent that Liverpool's performance levels will dictate where they finish come the end of the Barclays Premier League season, insisting they must improve the quality and consistency of their displays.
With his side travelling to top-of-the-table Leicester City on Tuesday night hoping to begin closing an eight point gap between themselves and fourth-place, Klopp is hoping his charges can begin stringing together a run of positive form.
Champions League qualification is once again the aim for the Reds, whose chances have been damaged by injuries and a packed festive fixture schedule which has depleted the freshness of Klopp's first-team and their next few fixtures could prove key.
After Leicester, the Reds host lowly Sunderland before travelling to struggling Aston Villa, who are 10 points adrift of safety at the bottom-of-the-table, and Klopp believes they must ensure they perform at their best in all of their league games to strengthen their chances of a top-four finish.
German hoping his side can reel in on top-four
Previewing their trip to the King Power Stadium on Monday afternoon, Klopp told reporters that they have "only important games" coming up in the league - saying that "these three games [Leicester, Sunderland and Villa] could give a little sign of where we can go this season."
He was eager to declare that even after these games, the race is "not over" and said that they have "shown a row of more-than-okay performances with a litle bit more consistency" even despite having "a lot of changes" and called upon his team to "now bring onto the pitch all the time" in order to "really fight for the right results."
Klopp acknowledged that everyone knows "about the quality [in the league] and especially [of] our next opponents Leicester." He insisted that they have a "clear idea" and "clear style" which is "difficult to play against" as most of the top-flight's teams "have felt when they've met them."
The German however insisted that his side are "prepared" because they "know about it" and they "know where we have to defend, which balls we have to defend." He explained that because they "cannot press Kasper Schmeichel" then the home side "will have a few free balls" which will mean the Reds "have to fight for the second one" and then "use the space."
He added that top-four "should always be a target" and insisted it still is, because it's not yet mathematically impossible, but said he "can't say" whether he thinks they'll "get there" or whether they "won't get there" because only their performances "will have influence on this situation" as he warned, "that's what we should be concentrated on."
Klopp well aware of Leicester's threats
The two teams only recently met on Boxing Day, with Liverpool inflicting just a second defeat of the league campaign on the Foxes, who have defied all of the odds to sit three points clear at the summit.
It kicks off another hectic month, which involves a two-legged Europa League affair with Augsburg, a Capital One Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley and an FA Cup fourth-round replay with West Ham United.
But the Reds are firmly fixated on coming away from maximum points with their second meeting of the season against Claudio Ranieri's men, and Klopp insists they must be wary of Leicester's threats.
Assessing their opponents ahead of Tuesday's battle, Klopp insisted that Ranieri has a "perfectly tuned team" at his disposal and said that he could "speak about everybody in this team" but acknowledged the focus of the footballing world being about Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, who have lit up the league together with scintillating form.
However, Klopp believes that they must also "speak about [N'Golo] Kante, [Danny] Drinkwater and Christian Fuchs with his set-plays and throw-ins" as well as "the defenders and Kasper Schmeichel."
The Reds boss admitted they "really do well" to "stay in the race" and praised their concentration and focus in games, insisting they've had "a few" but "not too many" downs - which they have "always fought back" from, something he called "really, really impressive."
"I can easily praise their ways because it's obviously great what they are doing," added Klopp, who said he did so before their last game on December 26, but insisted they now "play against them" and they're "not the first supporters' club of Leicester."
Instead, he vowed that his Liverpool side travel to the East Midlands to "want to challenge them" and make their "situation better" which he said they "need the points" to do.
He cited that they "did it at home" but said with Leicester having had "a few days off" and Liverpool playing "three games" is "a big difference" despite admitting they could "rest a lot of players [against West Ham] on Saturday" and said they will be "prepared" for an "intensive game."
Klopp suggests Reds can quell Leicester's "clear plan"
On what else he and his backroom staff have picked upon in analysing their opponents, Klopp insisted they play "counter-attacking football at its best" and said they are "really, really good and they have a clear plan" on the break."
The manager added that the "good thing with a clear plan" is that they "know about it" and are aware that Leicester "won't change a lot" but he acknowledged that "all the other teams about it too and they couldn't avoid their strengths for 95 minutes." Klopp declared that his players will "try everything" for the win, adding: "hopefully it will work."