Despite beating Newcastle 6-0, the Reds midfielder feels there are still areas they could improve and is keen for them to beat the Toffees on Sunday and finish in the top six

Lucas Leiva is hoping that Liverpool can win their remaining three matches, starting against Everton on Sunday, to secure a top-six finish in the Premier League.

The Reds currently trail local rivals Everton by five points but can close gap between the two sides to just two points with a victory when the pair face each other at Anfield.

And Lucas is keen for Liverpool to finish the season on a positive note after an indifferent first season under Brendan Rodgers.

He told reporters: “We still have a chance of catching Everton and that’s our target. We know we have to win if we want to finish a position higher than we are now.

“Merseyside derbies are always special to play in. The atmosphere will be amazing at Anfield and it’s the kind of game you really look forward to playing in.

“We will go into the derby with a lot of confidence. Hopefully we can get another win and try to finish the season on a bit of a high.

“It’s been a difficult season for us but we have to keep going. We still have three games remaining and the chance to get nine more points. The manner of our victory against Newcastle United showed the character of everyone.”

The Reds beat the Magpies 6-0 on Saturday and, despite the emphatic scoreline, Lucas believes there are still areas where they can improve.

He added: “We showed on Saturday that we are a team. We approached the game in the right way and played with a lot of confidence and intensity.

“After going 4-0 up in the second half, we just controlled the game. I remember when we beat Newcastle 5-1 at St James’ Park a few years ago and this was even better.

“But even though we won 6-0 there are still areas that we can improve upon. We need to keep working and keep believing.”