With the race for the fourth spot in the English Premier League thickening in the last couple seasons, it would be easy to dismiss the former member of the 'Big Four' Liverpool as a contending force for a spot of Europe. However, don't count out the Reds as a team that can seriously challenge in the current bottleneck between third and eighth.

A spirited Liverpool side challenged Manchester City and grabbed what was a deserving point at home on November 27 to continue an unbeaten streak of two months. Slowly, this side has been amassing points against teams like Chelsea and Manchester United without much applause. In the City game, Luis Suárez proved his worth against a difficult (to say the least) Manchester defense. He has time and time again been the best Red on the field and that match showed it once again. But it doesn't stop at the front. Dirk Kuyt is having some form of resurgence this season. Always a favourite of the Kop, he has since moved on less chances and worked more as a supporting force for either Suárez or Andy Carroll. This has worked for all parties because Kuyt has become legendary for his physical skills with the ball, yet his six-foot stature doesn't necessarily warrant him as a target man. Having him dominate one side of the field and, in the case of the City game, out play opponents on his own side of the field, makes him an asset to the squad.

The purchase of Charlie Adam seemed to be inevitable last season, and Liverpool was lucky to be a part of the deal. With the absence of Steven Gerrard, Adam has provided some creativity out of the midfield to the extent that he can dictate the game a little bit; something with Blackpool he was unable to accomplish versus the big boys. However, Adam is only the second part of the skill that this club has creatively in the middle of the park. Jordan Henderson is only 21 and has shown with his former clubs that he is a proven playmaker. His vision is like no one else's, even on this side.

Lucas is one of the best stopping midfielders in the English Premier League. According to The Guardians Chalkboard application, Lucas made 11 tackles in the match, all of which were successful. He is constantly giving great cover for both the forward band of midfielders in Adam and Henderson, but he also sits back in a way that he can cover plenty of the pitch. His tackles and interceptions officially recorded span from both sides of the pitch, all in the area between the 18-yard box and the centerline. Considering the City offense were limited to only seven opportunities on goal, Lucas played a crucial part in deconstructing any Manchester City attacking move.

Liverpool has slowly climbed back into contention for a chance in Europe. Manager Kenny Dalglish has brought this team some stability and consistency. Look for this team to consistently climb the title to a European spot in the coming months.