• Champions League

Europa League is exciting for Liverpool, says Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will fight to make the rest of the season a success after the club's early Champions League exit - and stated the Europa League remains a "prestigious" target.

The 1-1 draw in a must-win match at home to Basel meant the club's return to Europe's elite after a five-year absence amounted to just six matches.

The Europa League will present its own problems with the well-documented issues of playing Thursday and then Sunday, but Rodgers is not worried about playing catch-up.

Failing to bring a legend back to life

Steven Gerrard is dejected © Getty Images

• Memories of 2004 ran riot across Anfield on Tuesday night, but that was not enough to thrust Liverpool into the last 16 of the Champions League, writes Simon Barnes.
• Click here to read more

"I won't be concerned one bit. It is a prestigious tournament and this is the level we want to be working," Rodgers said.

"We want to be playing in Europe. The history for the club is strong. They [the players] will have all learned from the experience. We go into the Europa League and we want to do well in it.

"Alongside that we want to finish in the top four and that is something we will try and do."

Rodgers is desperate for the return of striker Daniel Sturridge, scorer of 24 goals last season, who is still undergoing warm-weather rehabilitation on a thigh problem in Los Angeles having not featured for his club since August 31.

In his continued absence the manager has to find a way of injecting more pace, movement, creativity and goals into the side.

Currently-injured Mario Balotelli, a £16 million summer signing from AC Milan, looks incapable of doing so on the evidence seen so far but Rodgers hopes another new arrival Lazar Markovic can start to fulfil his potential.

Markovic has been something of a flop since his £20 million move from Benfica but, just when he suggested he may be able to offer something going forward, got himself sent off for a flap of the arm into a Basel defender's face just 15 minutes after coming off the bench.

"I thought he looked really bright. He is starting to settle in and grow into our way of working," said Rodgers. "We talked about being more aggressive in his game, with the ball. I thought he was bright."

Liverpool remain ninth in the table, six points off fourth place with a trip to Old Trafford up next. They also have a League Cup quarter-final against Championship side Bournemouth next week.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd