Lucas Leiva says Liverpool are in the mix for a top four finish.

Lucas insists Kenny Dalglish's team will not give up on their dream of a Champions League return.

He said: "A return to the Champions League has to be our main objective this season. We would take a giant step towards that if we managed to get three points from the City game.

"The race for the Champions League will probably be tight and decided in the last rounds of the season.

"Chelsea, I think, will be waiting in the wings behind the Manchester clubs. And then we have Spurs and Arsenal, who are both dangerous opponents and rivals for fourth place.

"Spurs are benefiting from the lack of Champions League football and the fact they have had the same core group of players for the last couple of seasons.

"Things have also improved since the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor.

"As for Arsenal, many people wrote them off after the poor start but they have bounced back and got that amazing 5-3 win at Chelsea.

"Gervinho and Robin van Persie have risen to the occasion for them and things have improved for them."