Steven Gerrard has demanded a united front as Liverpool seek the top-four finish required to qualify for next season's Champions League. The Merseysiders were dumped out of the Champions League group stages on Tuesday night despite a 1-0 win over Debrecen in Budapest and have lost five Premier League fixtures in the opening 13 games this season.

It is three defeats than they suffered in the whole of the 2008/09 campaign.

But despite the poor start to the season, Gerrard, who has recovered from a groin problem and will lead his seventh-placed side into the 212th Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, maintains everyone is still working in unison towards attaining Champions League football next term.

The captain told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We are all aware the season is not going the way we would want it to and we are really disappointed to have gone out of the Champions League.

"We are far from happy with our form in the Premier League as well but the only way to turn things around is by sticking together.

"We have shown in the past what we can achieve when we stick together and if there is one positive about the difficult time we have been having, it is that we have all pulled together.

"The manager, the staff and the players are all working as hard as we can to try and get the improvement we have been looking for.

"It will not be easy, as we have given ourselves plenty to do, but we still have the confidence and belief that we can finish in the top four."

Gerrard believes Liverpool's plight can only improve as the numerous injuries which have plagued their season so far start to ease.

He added: "Getting some of our injured players back playing regularly will make a big difference and give everyone a boost but the key now is to keep working together.

"We owe it to the club, ourselves and most importantly to our fans, as their support has been magnificent at a time when things have not gone as well as we would all like."

On man who is fit-again is new signing Alberto Aquilani, who will be hopeful of getting on the field on Sunday after just three substitute appearances totalling just 22 minutes since his €22million summer move from Roma.

Manager Rafael Benitez is unlikely to throw the Italian into what is sure to be another tempestuous clash between the two near-neighbours but the 25-year-old looks set to play some part.

Former academy graduate Jay Spearing faces competition from Aquilani for a place in midfield but accepts the former Roma star will, in time, have a central part to play.

"You can tell he's a world class player," said Wirral-born Spearing. "For him, I think it's just a matter of fitness and sharpness really.

"He's doing more and more each day in training and you can see that he's very clever with some of the passes that he plays. Hopefully he can bring that out into our first team."