Following an almost orgasmic performance against Swansea, Liverpool fans would be excused for believing that they can still progress in the Europa League. A 2-0 deficit is by no means an easy thing to overturn but I feel that if any team can do it it’s Liverpool. With a European pedigree that no other British club could even dream of matching, Zenit surely will be nervous heading to Anfield.

I am in no doubt that Brendan Rodgers will be as optimistic as anyone about progressing further in Europe. Why wouldn’t he? A team that has the ability to put 5 past a very formidable Swansea defense should be able to make life difficult for any European club.

Zenit will know what to expect from Liverpool and will most likely try to park the bus and frustrate Liverpool. Anfield is a different kind of beast on a European night and although this is not the European Cup we all aspire to win, Liverpool fans more than anyone else crave silverware. They’ve become so accustomed to it that being without it is like missing a limb. As the great Bob Paisley once said: “Liverpool without European football is like a banquet without wine.”

The onslaught that Swansea endured during the game on Sunday is something that I haven’t seen in a long time from a Liverpool team. As Laudraup said, it could easily have been 10-0. The barrage of attacks was unrelenting. Liverpool were at their excellent best and it only frustrates me to think that if we could perform like that more often, we would be back in the Champions League easily. Hopefully Sunday’s performance is a sign of what is to come.

Liverpool now lie 7th but are 9 points behind Spurs. Rodgers still believes a top four finish is possible but acknowledges that it wont be easy. Lets build on that performance against Swansea in the Zenit game and hopefully then things will start looking up for the reds again.