LUCAS: CARLING CUP IS IMPORTANT

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Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva insists the Carling Cup is an important competition for Liverpool as they bid to try and win it for a record eighth time this season.

Since returning from the Olympics Lucas has revealed his fitness is getting better and he is eager to be involved against the Railwaymen tonight.    "For me the Carling Cup is an important competition because it is another trophy to play for and it also gives us a chance to build up our confidence," said Lucas.    "We will now have to wait to find out what team Rafa wants to play against Crewe but I will be ready if I am picked.    "When you play for Liverpool you want to win every single title. That's why it is so special to be at such a big club with such a wonderful history.    "Tonight, the Carling Cup begins and so that has to be our immediate target. There is no point looking ahead to games in the future, we can only concentrate on the one that comes next and in this case it is Crewe.    "We have a lot of games to play because we are in four competitions but you have to treat every one as being important.    "The Premier League is the most important of course but we have to try and do well in every single competition.    "It has been difficult for me but the good thing now is that I will be here for a month before Brazil play again. It will be good for me because it means I do not have to travel and I can spend more time here and recover more.    "I already feel confident though because the manager picked me to play against Marseille in the Champions League and I also played against Aston Villa in the Premier League so hopefully now I will be able to play in more games.    "I want to play in every game whether it is in the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, the Premier League or the Champions League."    The Reds number 21 insists Liverpool will not be taking the Railwaymen lightly after their FA Cup exit at the hands of Barnsley last season and the scare against Havant and Waterlooville.    "I do know about Crewe even if I do not know a lot about their players," said Lucas.    "They have a reputation for playing good football and I am sure that they will give us a tough game because they will be looking forward to coming to Anfield and showing what they can do.    "The great thing about the cup competitions in this country is that anybody can beat anyone else.    "We found that out last year in the FA Cup when we were knocked out by Barnsley at Anfield and before that we had been given very tough games by Havant and Waterlooville and Luton.    "We know that every team has quality and we have to be ready every single time."    The former Gremio ace also insists he is happy to fight for his place in the midfield and said having good competition for places is vital for a club like Liverpool.    "If you look at our midfield there is a lot of competition for places because there is Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Damien Plessis and myself so it will always be tough to get into the team," he added.    "But this has to be good for the club because it means Rafa has options and he can choose the players he feels are best suited for a particular game.    "From a player's point of view it isn't easy because you want to play all the time but if you are at a top club like Liverpool you know you will have to fight for your place and it is the same for me as it is for everyone.    "You just have to work hard in training at Melwood and on the pitch at games and if you do that then you will give yourself a better chance of being in the team."