LUCAS admits Liverpool FC will only start challenging at the top of the Premier League once they treat every game as if it were against their main rivals.

The Anfield outfit bolstered their hopes of Champions League qualification with a 2-1 win at Chelsea on Sunday that continued their impressive record against the top six since Kenny Dalglish’s return as manager in January.

Of that select group, only Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Liverpool in the Premier League this calendar year, with Dalglish’s men this season having previously won at Arsenal and drawn at home to champions Manchester United.

Liverpool will aim to continue that run when leaders Manchester City put their unbeaten start on the line at Anfield on Sunday.

But Lucas accepts Dalglish’s men have been unable to thus far produce the same intensity against some of the top flight’s lesser lights.

“We spoke about this before Sunday’s game,” said the Brazilian midfielder. “If we approach every single game like we approached the Chelsea game, then we would be in a better position. We had to get the three points here because we’d dropped those points at home. Now we need to find a good way of playing at home, we have to improve our record there and if we do that then our position will definitely get better.