Although Liverpool's last few results have blown hot and cold, as fans we have to believe that a top-four finish in Europe is possible. It's the foundation of a club's season, a presitigous bonus that brings so many positives.
There is still 15 games to go and Liverpool fans have to believe that there is still time for the team to catapult themselves into contention. A club with a remarkable European history, it would mean the world. Everyone wants to be playing at the highest level possible and you can only imagine the sense of pride that would circulate around the city if the team pulled this one off.
When you look at our run of fixtures, it becomes very clear that the path to the top is anything but straight forward. Huge mental, as well as physical, tests await this Liverpool side if they are going to prove their UEFA Champions League ambitions.
Games against the likes of Sunderland and Aston Villa in the weeks ahead are winnable but the battle will be won or lost in late February and early March when we take on Everton and Manchester City followed by Chelsea - all at home.
With a Capital One Cup semi-final second-leg against Stoke City tomorrow night, Jürgen Klopp will be hoping to get to his first final with the club and go all the way, which will no doubt give renewed belief that they are not out of the reckoning yet.
Character:
A word overly used by Brendan Rodgers and underestimated by many, the truth is that it is currently strongly present among this Liverpool squad amidst all the problems. It has been seen in games against West Brom, Arsenal and Norwich in a sense that the players all have one unique attribute - a fighting spirit combined with a never-say-die attitude.
In games where we have looked down-and-out, we have resurrected with unbelievable force, turning doubters to believers and defying the odds. Is it something Klopp has already instilled in his squad or is it a sign of very good team?
The latter may sound ridiculous considering our poor results at times this season, but this bravery and fighting spirit is something for Klopp to consider if he is considering overhauling the squad.
There isa general feeling that there's more trust with the players and an attitude that anything is possible, something which was absent with Rodgers.
If Klopp changes the squad too much will this vital mental trait disappear from the team as a whole? It's definitely something to think about and if this sudden belief is a product of Klopp's man management finesse, it's certainly developed a sense of trust between the fans and the team.
A team playing with rejuvenated freedom:
It was very obvious that under Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool players wern't enjoying their football. Week-after-week, they would show very little spark and everything was a little bit predictable, boring and labourious.
The trust between the manager and the players seemed to be gone, his tenure was winding down and he had lost the dressing room, the players weren't playing for him anymore, they were playing for themselves, finishing out gmes for the sake of it. There was never a moment where you felt that a comeback was on and confidence was at an all time low.
In comes Klopp, one of the best managers on the planet, unsure what he has let himself in for and the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he just takes it all in his stride. He's a breath of fresh air, a jovial character who sometimes makes you wonder if he knows what he's doing at all. But he does, and although the results have been mixed, this doesn't faze him.
He has the team playing as a unit, a team that are enjoying themselves and are expressing themsleves on the pitch more and team morale rising with every passing game. It has translated to the players too, with Joe Allen and Dejan Lovren coming out of the shadows to produce some fine form that got them to the club in the first place.
A world class striker to come back:
A fit Daniel Sturridge is unstoppable, but an injury ravaged season has meant that he has not been a core part of Klopp's setup. It's frustrating for Liverpool fans and Klopp, who saw his excellent two-goal performance against Southampton at St Mary's a few months back. He is a natural born goalscorer and always has been, floating around the field like he's on an ice rink and being one half of the stunning SAS strikeforce in 2013/2014.
Klopp knows what Sturridge is capable of but he can't do anything to improve him if he's in the treatment room. The fans have been on his back but Klopp has defended the striker, showing that he believes in him and you can't deny that an attacking partnership of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sturridge could be special and very hard for any defence to hold, especially with Firmino's recent form.
A player like Sturridge could be the difference in big matches if we want to grind out a top-four finish. he has the ability to do the unexpected and he'll want to make it up to the fans when he comes back from injury. this should give him extra drive and incentive to help the team achieve their objective while striving to prove his ability to Klopp at the same time.
Alternative route:
Liverpool are still in the Europa League and face Augsburg of Germany in the Round of 32. However, the unique thing about this competition is that if we win it, a Champions League place is certain. Klopp will be aware of this and it will be in the back of his mind. He knows a lot about Augsburg having faced them in Germany with Dortmund and this will stand to us.
It could potentially be our last chance at a shot in Europe's top club competition for this season. However, Klopp will be calm and take one game at a time even though he could face a dilemma.
If he focuses on the Europa League, progresses far and we are then knocked out could this have a domino effect where the travelling and extra game time would drain the players and cost a push for the top-four in the league big time? We'll have to wait and see how it all unfolds...
