Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged his side to "squeeze something out of this season" as they attempt to finish 2020-21 in strong fashion.
The Premier League champions are seventh in the table on 46 points, a remarkable 36 fewer than they had amassed after the same number of matches last term.
With nine games to go, the race is on for the Reds as they attempt to close the five-point gap to the top four, starting with Saturday's clash with ninth-place Arsenal.
Liverpool claimed back-to-back wins over Wolves and RB Leipzig in the Champions League prior to the international break, a positive change after a run of nine defeats and just five wins in 17 games in all competitions.
Klopp is now targeting a strong 'mini-season' to give his side the best chance of a successful end to a difficult campaign.
"There's a lot to go for," he told Sky Sports. "We're not in the best position to fight for the Champions League spots but it's clear we'll fight for it and if not then for the other European spots.
"It's our job and that's what we want. We want to be as successful as possible. At the beginning of the season, we had different targets which is normal but we're now here in our reality and the position is not as bad as it could've been so we're going to try everything to squeeze something out of this season.
"There are other teams in better positions, so we have to make sure that we can chase them but whether that's possible or not will be decided in the specific games, like on Saturday against Arsenal. We don't have many points to waste anymore and a tough programme coming up. When you're in the situation we're in, you've not got a lot to lose as well so let's go for it."
Klopp hopes to see something of the old Liverpool against Arsenal, who have lost just one of their past nine home league matches and claimed a 2-1 victory in this fixture at Emirates Stadium last season.
"Arsenal are a good team," he said. "They've had good runs this season and other times when it's not been going so well. But they have now found their way and Martin Odegaard is playing well.
"With [Granit] Xhaka and Thomas Partey in midfield, that's a proper double six, they have a last line full of experience and full-backs with desire to go. They're a good football team so we're going to have to defend at the highest level.
"If we do that, then we can create and we can score. But we must again be the team that nobody wants to play against. I believe we can be that."
Robertson warns Liverpool cannot make any more mistakes in top-four pursuit
Andrew Robertson warned Liverpool team-mates they cannot afford to make any more mistakes if they are to meet their minimum expectation of Champions League qualification.
The Reds have endured a disappointing season, with Jurgen Klopp's efforts not helped by a string of significant injuries to key players.
Last season, Liverpool won an EFL Cup and FA Cup double, reached the Champions League final, and finished just one point behind Premier League winners Manchester City.
However, this term has seen them fail to defend either cup crown, they were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage, and are facing an uphill battle to finish in the top four domestically.
Sixth-placed Liverpool are seven points behind Tottenham in fourth, and although the Reds have two games in hand on Spurs, so do Newcastle United, who only trail the north Londoners by a single point.
The underwhelming nature of Liverpool's campaign is not lost on Robertson, who thinks they are on their last life if they want to pip Spurs and Newcastle – they now face consecutive games against City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"The motivations are the exact same," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's trip to City. "We want Champions League football, and so the motivation is the exact same as though we were going for trophies.
"It is obviously a big week; we are playing against three big teams and it's going to be an intense week, but it's what you look forward to when you come to this club. These are the big games you want to be involved in.
"We don't want to be in this position, and…we don't really have time to waste, we don't have any mistakes left in us if we want to achieve top four."
He added: "[Expectations] have to be on the highest level when you play at this club – you don't get an option not to do that, the people around the club demand that. I think we do that, but we have just lacked a little bit of consistency this season.
"In the last five or six years, consistency is the one word that would be put next to our name, as we always showed up and even when not at our best, we still managed to grind out results. We haven’t done that this season, and we have to fix that."
Despite their issues this season, Robertson remains adamant Liverpool belong in the Champions League.
But he accepts the Reds cannot take qualification for granted.
"Going into April, not being in the Champions League, FA Cup or League Cup, and then not being in a title race is so disappointing – it's a position we don't want to be in.
"We are out of every competition, but we still believe we are a team that can compete in every competition.
"So to fix that, we have to be in these tournaments again next season, and the only way to do that is finishing in the top four.
"So we've got 12 games to fix it, and we are determined to put our all into those next 12 games."
Alexander-Arnold wants 'three big results' as Liverpool approach 'defining' week
Trent Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool's next three games could "define" their season and wants "three big results".
Liverpool have back-to-back trips to Manchester City and Chelsea before hosting Premier League leaders Arsenal at Anfield a week on Sunday.
The Reds have had a difficult campaign so far, out of every cup competition and sitting sixth in the league, seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand, and five behind Newcastle United in fifth.
Knowing they cannot afford to lose any more ground in the race for Champions League qualification, Alexander-Arnold is hoping he and his team-mates can get some points on the board this week, starting at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
"I think if we get three big results, it's game on really, and hopefully the season pushes on to be a good one," he told Liverpool's official website. "These three results can define the season if we let it and if we want it to. We want to go out there and win all three games – and that's our plan.
"I think as a team we've probably lacked that confidence at times during the season. But to go and get big results against big teams will instil that confidence back within us. We're excited as a team, we're looking fresh, good in training and we're excited. It's going to be a big week and then hopefully a big end to the season for us."
City are once again in the race for the title, trailing Arsenal by eight points with a game in hand, and Alexander-Arnold is aware of the task at hand to try and defeat Pep Guardiola's men.
"Every time you play against Man City, the motivation's there no matter what," he said. "Over the past five, six years, I would say us and them have been the best teams in the league, and they show their quality year in, year out and consistently. They're always up there as one of, if not the best team in the world.
"That'll be the same on Saturday. We need to play a really good game and execute our game plan to have a chance of winning it. I think we're able to go there and get the result but it's about making sure we earn it."
One positive for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is seeing Luis Diaz back in training, with the Colombia forward having not played since sustaining a knee injury against Arsenal in October.
"He's a top player, a top lad," Alexander-Arnold said about the former Porto man. "It's been a tough season for him to see him out so much. But he's back, he's back smiling, he's enjoying his football, so that's all you can ask [for].
"With a player like that, he brings enthusiasm to the team and brings a spark that not many players have. It's exciting to have him back."
Liverpool handed double injury boost ahead of Man City clash
Liverpool have been handed a fitness boost ahead of their crunch Premier League clash against Manchester City with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez returning to training.
Jurgen Klopp's side make the short trip to Manchester to tackle the defending champions on Saturday when league action resumes following the international break.
The Reds have their eyes firmly set on the hunt for a top-four finish, sitting seven points behind Tottenham but holding two games in hand over their managerless rivals.
City will certainly present a stern test but the return of Diaz, who has been out of action since suffering a knee injury during the loss to Arsenal in October, provides a timely boost.
Whether the Colombia international will be fit enough to tackle City remains to be seen, though Nunez's involvement adds a further boost to the squad.
Withdrawing from international duty with Uruguay after suffering an ankle injury during the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid earlier this month, Nunez's involvement suggests his return is also right around the corner.
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