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BRENDAN RODGERS believes Liverpool will need a 74-point haul to achieve Champions League qualification as he backed his players to deal with the pressure of the run-in.

The Reds go into Monday night’s Premier League clash with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium looking to maintain their relentless pursuit of a top-four spot.

Fifth placed Liverpool have taken 30 points out of the last 36 on offer but Rodgers says they will need 23 more points over the last 10 matches to achieve their target. That effectively means they will need to win seven and draw two of their remaining games.

“We have 30 points to play for so I am guessing it will be another 23 points,” said Rodgers, whose side will move back to within two points of fourth placed Manchester United if they beat Swansea.

“That is how competitive it has been this year. We have won nine and drawn two of the last 11. It has been a great run but now we have to be focused on these last 10 matches.

“Everything counts. We have to be aggressive in our game and now we have to nail it in the last 10. I know the players are focused on that.”

Rodgers believes the experience of last season’s title challenge will help his squad over the coming weeks.

Liverpool may have ultimately lost out to Manchester City after a home defeat to Chelsea surrendered the initiative but Rodgers dismisses suggestions that the Reds showed any signs of crumbling in the high-stakes encounters.

“Last season will help us,” he said.

“We dealt really well with the pressure. We won 12 out of 14 in the run-in and it was unfortunate that we lost one. Okay, that was the one that mattered but it wasn’t through not being able to deal with pressure. We were unlucky that day.

“We conceded right at the end of the first half and then right at the end of the second half. We dealt with pressure remarkably well and our game is based on that. We play a technical game and that is a big part of why my teams do well in the second part of the season.

“Our game is based on dealing with pressure because they have the courage to play, so when it comes to these moments, we do well with it.”

Martin Skrtel (concussion) and Joe Allen (hip) are expected to be passed fit to face Garry Monk’s Swansea, while Steven Gerrard is set to make his comeback after missing the past seven matches with a hamstring injury.

Gerrard’s glittering Liverpool career only has a maximum of 13 games left to run before he says his farewells and joins Los Angeles Galaxy this summer.

Rodgers must decide whether to bring the long-serving captain straight back into midfield or use him as an impact player coming off the bench.

“Everyone is waiting to see if Stevie comes into the team or not, but it was the same when Daniel Sturridge was fit again,” Rodgers said.

“Does he or does he not? What you have seen over my time here is that it’s about the team and how we can get results as a team.

“The most important thing is Steven is back fit and we have Lucas Leiva coming back soon too. That will add to the competition for places and with one game a week, barring the cup game, then everyone is going to be fighting and being competitive about playing.

“The beauty of this season is that everyone had an opportunity in the first three or four months of the season and then we found a way to win. It is something everyone has to respect. It is about the team and the spirit of the team and I will always pick the best team I feel to win a game.”

The manager insists sentiment won’t come into it regarding Gerrard’s role over the closing months of the campaign.

Liverpool have been impressive in the absence of the 34-year-old and proving they can win without him is vital going forward. But Gerrard remains the Reds’ joint top scorer with Raheem Sterling on 10 goals this season and Rodgers knows he still has much to offer before he heads for Hollywood.

“This is a guy who is one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League and arguably the greatest player in the history of this club,” Rodgers said.

“But what I do know is that Stevie always puts the team first. I have huge respect for him whether he is playing or not playing and huge admiration for him as a player and a person.

“But I am not one that makes emotional decisions on whether I like someone or not. For me it is about picking and finding the right balance in the team and what makes the team function to ultimately win. He still has big qualities that we will need between now and the end of the season.

“I’m managing a situation here with arguably the greatest player to have played for the club towards the end of his career. Of course there are challenges.

“There was with Luis Suarez, Jamie Carragher. It is about managing all these situations whilst trying to build a team to make this club competitive again at the very highest level. You earn your money.”

Liverpool, who could equal a club record of six successive away league clean sheets, are seeking their first win at the Liberty Stadium have drawn two and lost one of their three previous visits.

They will be up against midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who was sold to Swansea for £5million in 2013 after scoring seven goals in 69 appearances for the Reds.

Shelvey has proved a central figure in recent clashes between the clubs - scoring in both meetings last term and heading home an own goal in the Swans’ 4-1 defeat at Anfield in December. Rodgers has no regrets about moving Shelvey on.

“It was the right thing to do for Jonjo,” he added.

“He was a kid that needed to play, he wasn’t going to play regularly here and he needed the opportunity.

“I recommended that he went to Swansea. I think it was right for both at the time. History shows how we have developed and progressed.

“He is a good kid Jonjo, he came here as a young boy and it was difficult. He wanted to play and I wasn’t going to be able to guarantee him that. He needed to go for his career to play somewhere regularly and he has done that pretty much for Swansea.”