Not good enough

STEVEN GERRARD has given a brutal verdict on Liverpool’s campaign and insisted: We’ve got what we deserve.

Sunday’s 2-1 win at Aston Villa leaves the Reds snapping at the heels of the Euro slots.
But while fifth position — the lowest they can finish to guarantee a Europa League place — is only five points away, the Kop captain is not looking for sympathy at the points which have got away.
Gerrard said: “We know what our problem is, inconsistency.
“We’ve played well enough in the majority of the games to be higher, but when you look at performances like Southampton, Villa at home, West Brom away, Arsenal at home, there’s a handful when this team hasn’t turned up. That’s the reason why we are sitting where we are in the table.”
Liverpool’s run-in still gives hope they can catch fifth-placed Arsenal, as just two of their final seven games are against teams higher than 10th — and both are at Anfield.
Gerrard, who scored the winner against Villa from the penalty spot and then headed a Christian Benteke effort off the line, insisted: “We need to put the pressure on other teams for that European place. Especially as a lot of the teams above us still have to play each other.
“We’re hoping there are a few slip-ups above us and we can capitalise on that. It’s important that we take maximum points.
“We need to use the Villa game as a level from which to continue, because I thought our second-half performance was perfect, not just offensively but defensively as well.
“We know we aren’t far away, and there will be improvements to the squad in the summer. We believe we can put in a better challenge for the top four next season.”