Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is convinced his team are now responding to his methods.

Rodgers gets the feeling his side are over their teething troubles in adjusting to a new way of working, although he accepts they are far from the finished article.

But he expects them to challenge on the domestic as well as European front, especially once he has been able to bring in new players in January.

"Of course, in that short term you want success and you have to show there is improvement," he said.

"I believe we are starting to show improvement and there is a real spirit and unity among us all.

"If we can stay like that and go through the pain together we can get out the other side and restore Liverpool to where it should be.

"But it is difficult in the modern game. There will be pain along the way, at times we will take two or three steps forward and take another step back, but that is a part of the journey.

"It is an opportunity for us tomorrow night. If the other result goes with us we can navigate our way through the group.

"We will improve in the second half of the season, this group will get stronger, and it will be easier going forward once we have supplemented the group.

"I wanted to build a competitive group and that means competing at the top end (of the league table).

"That is where every team wants to be and for us it is no different."