Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen is adamant that there was never any doubt that his side could bounce back and reach the levels set last season following a shaky start to the current campaign.

The Reds have gone nine games without defeat in the Premier League ahead of this afternoon's crunch top-four meeting against Southampton, although prior to that they had won just two of their last seven games.

That led to serious doubts over whether Brendan Rodgers' charges could mount a challenge for Champions League qualification once more, but Allen insists that it was always a case of remaining patient as Liverpool searched for their best form.

"There was no doubt," the Welshman is quoted as saying by FourFourTwo. "We knew the level we'd been at previously and that we could get to it again. It was just a matter of how quickly we were going to get there. I remember being in the dressing room after that [Crystal] Palace game and I think that was the real low.

"Since then, we've shifted so much ground and taken so many steps forward, and we didn't doubt that we would get back to it. I think that is the main thing when you are in those situations. You look at the players you've got, the management, the support of the club. I think, with all those things combined, we always knew that we would pull through it.

"It was just about being patient, about sticking to our guns and working hard – all the classic cliches, if you like. Thankfully I think we are now reaping the rewards of that and we've still got enough time to push ourselves towards achieving something this year."

Ahead of today's meeting with Southampton, Liverpool find themselves five pointsadrift of the top four.