• Manager believes Liverpool can make most of home form
• Clash with Hull a chance to continue winning run at Anfield
Brendan Rodgers is confident the "Anfield factor" can propel his Liverpool side back into the Champions League places, starting with Wednesday's match against Hull City.
Successive defeats at Manchester City and Chelsea have left Liverpool in fifth position after they led the Premier League on Christmas Day, but they have won their past six matches at home and Rodgers believes this offers an excellent opportunity to move up the table.
"We have got all these teams to play at home. All the teams, apart from Manchester United, are all to come to Anfield. We are very strong at home," said the manager, who hopes to add to his squad during the January transfer window. "And if we can reinforce the group in these next four weeks then it sets us up."
Liverpool have lost only once at home this season – to Southampton – and Rodgers is confident that given this "Anfield factor" the side's destiny remains in their control. "That's what gives me the great confidence," he said. "How we've been at Anfield over the course of this year means we have a big part to play in our own destiny and that is all you can ever hope for. You look at the other teams, like Manchester City, they have played a lot of their games at home and so have got to travel.
"They have had their difficulties on their travels. So for us the second half of the season at Anfield will be massive. We love playing there. We enjoy playing there. We feel comfortable there to go and get a result against anyone and we aim, along with our supporters, to make it a real difficult place to get a result."
Rodgers added: "I think it's a combination of the confidence of the players and an aggressive style of play. And also improvements to the team. It's been very pleasing. I said before we have had lots of compliments about the creativity of the team but what has been important for me has been the consistency. It is something we have to keep focused on, and going into every game like it is a cup final.
"We're at the halfway point and we've arrived in great condition. If you had said we would be six points off the lead at halfway then I would've taken that at the start. We have got it all to play for. When you look at the two teams we have just played there is a huge difference in terms of squads. But we're not going to sit back and cry about it.
"If we win the game against Hull it is nine points out of 15 and if you consider that with Tottenham, City and Chelsea away it's actually a decent return. If we get three points against Hull then we leave the period with a decent return. Whatever squad we have we will go into the game positive to get a result."
While Steven Gerrard, the captain, may return to face Hull after a hamstring injury, Rodgers is without Daniel Sturridge, Joe Allen, José Enrique, Jon Flanagan, Mamadou Sakho and Sebastián Coates for varying lengths of time. Rodgers played down concerns over the impact of injuries on his squad, however. "I've always worked with what I've got and maximise what we have available so I don't want to get too down or focus to much on it. We will have some returning players fairly soon and January could be a great springboard for us like it was last year. So that's what is in my thoughts."
Rodgers did admit that good fortune may be needed if a Champions League place is to be achieved. "If we have a bit of luck – and up until five weeks ago we had all the players fit and available – we have an incredible chance to compete for that. But when we hit a few injuries that can affect us."
via Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663845/s/35616b34/sc/13/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cfootball0C20A130Cdec0C310Cbrendan0Erodgers0Eliverpool0Eanfield0Ehull/story01.htm
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