• Champions League

'Liverpool players can write themselves into folklore'

Brendan Rodgers has urged his Liverpool players to write their names into Anfield European folklore by beating Swiss champions Basel to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

Monday's news conference was held on the 10th anniversary of one of the most famous nights in the club's European history.

Steven Gerrard scored a spectacular late goal to seal a 3-1 victory over Greek side Olympiakos at Anfield on December 8, 2004 - ensuring Liverpool made it through the group by the tightest of margins before they went on to become European champions for the fifth time the following May.

Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool are "starting to come together again" © Getty Images

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Liverpool have not won the Champions League since, but manager Rodgers is eyeing another memorable European performance to spark their season into life.

"This is a competition with a great history here for Liverpool. The Olympiakos game was a part of that great history," he said.

"It's an opportunity for the players to qualify and make sure they write themselves into folklore by winning the game and getting to the next round, because that's the objective."

Rodgers acknowledged that Liverpool - who are ninth in the Premier League - have been nowhere near the standards of the side he led to a runners-up spot last season.

Saturday's frustrating 0-0 draw at home to struggling Sunderland offered little comfort, even though it extended Liverpool's unbeaten run to four matches.

But Rodgers has played down the idea that an early Champions League exit will leave their season in tatters.

He said: "We're only focusing on the positive result. We see it as an opportunity rather than a threat to anything we're doing this season.

"It's a cup competition and it's the final game. We want to qualify. If we get through, we can put it to bed for a few months and hope it will give us that confidence in our league form as well to keep moving forward.

"I think we've shown in the last few weeks that the group is starting to come together again after a disappointing spell.

"We haven't had the consistency this season but slowly, game by game, I can see the differences in the team, the focus and the concentration - and what we have in the squad is quality.

"We know it's a tough game. But playing at home, we've seen what the home crowd can do for the team. If we can come together tomorrow night and get the victory, qualify for the next round, which was the objective, then look to use that as confidence for the rest of our games."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd