Carragher has helped Liverpool climb right back into contention for Champions League qualification with just one defeat in 10 league games since Christmas.

And the Bootle-born defender thinks the race for fourth spot will go right to the wire.

“Manchester City’s win at Chelsea was a big one but you don’t know if it’ll galvanise them or prove a freak result,” he said.

“Tottenham are the ones I’m wary of. They keep a lot of clean sheets and score goals and have fantasy players.

“But, when it gets to the wire, there’s games you need to win 1-0 and over the past month Liverpool have been probably one of the best teams in Europe at grinding a result out.

“That’s what we’re doing, grinding.

“We’ve come back through fight, desire to do well, and we could never be accused of lacking that.”

A group stage exit from this year’s Champions League means Liverpool are now battling for glory in the Europa League – a competition Carragher values highly.

He said: “I don’t understand why people rubbish the Europa League. There are only two European trophies up for grabs every year.

“I mean, if you asked would I rather get in the semi-finals of the Champions League or win the Europa League, I’d rather win the Europa. At the end of my career I could say, ‘I won that’.

“We got to the Champions League final in 2007 – brilliant, but what did it mean in the end? People ask, ‘Would you rather win the Europa League or finish top four?’

“Well sometimes I think, ‘Win the cup’. I always hear Leeds got to the semi-final of the Champions League in 2001.

“So what? Newcastle had a good run. So what? It’s about winning trophies.

“The only way to make this season positive is by achieving both targets, finish top four and win the Europa League.”