Liverpool striker Andy Carroll is hoping the Merseysiders can maintain their recent fine form at Arsenal on Sunday as they continue their quest to snatch a UEFA Europa League spot.

The club has been revitalised following the return of Kenny Dalglish as manager in January, with Monday night's 3-0 thrashing of Manchester City moving them to within five points of Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs currently hold fifth spot - which would mean a place in European football's second-tier competition next season - and Carroll, who scored his first two goals for the club against City, believes they can be caught.

He told the Liverpool Daily Post: "Obviously it's at the back of everybody's minds. Everyone wants to be in that fifth position and everyone knows that we are capable of doing it.

"We've just got to work hard and try to make sure we get three points every week and hopefully Tottenham will have a slip up.

Everyone wants to be in that fifth position and everyone knows that we are capable of doing it.
Andy Carroll, Liverpool striker

"I think every player wants to play in Europe and coming to a club like Liverpool, it's expected. All the other lads want to be in Europe as much as me. All we can do is work as hard as we can to make sure we get there."

With Manchester United in FA Cup action against cross-town rivals City, Arsenal can move four points behind Sir Alex Ferguson's side with a victory.

Third-placed Chelsea go to a West Bromwich Albion side who all but secured their place in the top flight next season with a 3-2 victory at Sunderland.

The pressure remains on coach Carlo Ancelotti with newspaper reports suggesting owner Roman Abramovich is lining up a summer move for former Blues manager Guus Hiddink.

Relegation battle continues
The battle to avoid the drop will also intensify this weekend. Of the teams currently lying in the bottom three - Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and West Ham United - only the latter two are in action.

Wigan face an intriguing battle at Bloomfield Road against a Blackpool side also in deep trouble while West Ham will fancy their chances at home to Aston Villa.

One side in desperate need of a win are Sunderland, who are sliding rapidly down the table after a run of one point from the last 24 available. The Wearsiders go to Birmingham City with striker Asamoah Gyan admitting three points are a must.

"We need a win," he told the Sunderland Echo. "That's what our season boils down to. You can talk for hours about how badly the results have gone and what might happen in the remaining games, but it all comes down to the fact that we need that win.

"If we get it, I think it would change everything. All of a sudden, the pressure would be off and you would see our players expressing themselves again and playing as we know they can.

"And if we were to beat Birmingham this weekend, I think you would see the real Sunderland in the games coming up at the Stadium of Light because then we would be playing without pressure. We could go out and enjoy ourselves and play with freedom and we have the quality to win both those games."

Blackburn Rovers are another side in trouble at the wrong end and they face a tricky trip to improving Everton.