Gerrard aiming to heap misery on Gunners

After seven defeats - five more than in the whole of the previous Premier League campaign - the Reds' hopes of a top-four place appeared to be slipping away even seven weeks ago.

However, since losing at Portsmouth on December 19, Rafael Benitez's side have put together a seven-match run of five wins and two draws to move back up to fourth.

On Wednesday they go to Arsenal, where they have not won in the league for a decade, and victory at Ashburton Grove would put Liverpool just two points behind the third-placed Gunners with a trip to Manchester City next on the fixture list.

But having come unstuck at places like Tottenham, Sunderland, Fulham and Fratton Park this season Gerrard said the team had to build on the weekend's victory over Everton in the 213th Merseyside derby.

"Everybody is still on a high and now we have got to take that high into the next game," he said.

"It's a tough one - Arsenal away always is, but we have used beating Everton as a platform in the past and we've got to do it again.

"We want to extend our run and go on to better things as we can't afford any slip-ups because there is pressure coming from Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa."

Gerrard added: "We showed fantastic togetherness (against Everton), we fought for each other and that's why I am really proud of this team.

"It's performances like this that will get you in there (the top four).

"There are a couple of very tough games coming up, but, if we can show what we have done in the last seven games, I don't see why we can't maintain it."

Liverpool have kept six clean sheets on their current unbeaten run, but go to Arsenal without the in-form Sotirios Kyrgiakos as he begins a three-match ban for his sending-off against Everton.

Fortunately for Benitez, Daniel Agger made a timely return to the starting line-up at the weekend after a month out injured.

"It is bad when you lose players, but we had more problems with the centre-backs at the start of the season and now we have more bodies," said the Reds boss.

"So although we will lose something, maybe we can manage in a different way.

"Agger, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher can all play, so at least we have the bodies."