SO much for the rumours, the speculation and the idle chit-chat. Any suggestions Liverpool may be distracted by their European adventure was emphatically rammed back down the throats of the doubters in a timely reminder that talk is cheap.

It may yet prove a futile gesture, but as long as there is hope, Rafael Benitez’s side will not stop believing in an unlikely Champions League qualification.

An ultimately comfortable if flattering victory against Burnley was the perfect response to the gruelling and unsatisfying sojourn to Madrid in midweek, consigning the Lancastrians to an instant relegation back to the Coca-Cola Championship.

And by putting their opponents out of their misery, Liverpool’s Premier League campaign, despite such seemingly unrelenting torture for their supporters, remains alive. If only just.

Of course, it will still take a remarkable series of results for dreams of a fourth-placed finish to become reality, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Aston Villa all to stumble towards the finishing line for Benitez’s men to take advantage.

But yesterday at least demonstrated they are still scrapping on two fronts, even if it heightens the agonies for Liverpool fans ahead of next Sunday’s visit of Chelsea. Can they really want their team to lose when fourth place is still at stake?

Before then, however, is the small matter of attempting to overturn the 1-0 first leg deficit against Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final return at Anfield on Thursday.

The sight of Dirk Kuyt hobbling off shortly after half-time with a calf problem will have made Benitez’s heart sink, given Fernando Torres was joined on the sidelines by David Ngog yesterday. If the game was today, Liverpool wouldn’t have any fit senior strikers.

Thank goodness, then, for Steven Gerrard. The captain led by example at Turf Moor, scoring twice inside seven second-half minutes and clearly revelling in a deeper central midfield role.

The first, on 52 minutes, owed a great deal to good fortune, Gerrard exchanging passes with Alberto Aquilani outside the Burnley area before striking a shot that deflected off centre-back Leon Cort beyond goalkeeper Brian Jensen.