Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has praised the "astounding" work of Brendan Rodgers and his team this season.

Rodgers has led the Reds to second in the Premier League, and the five-time European Champions are well placed to end their five-year absence from the Champions League next season.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Ayre said: "Both the efforts of Brendan and the players have been astounding. One of the things I really like is that Brendan works with the team and sets the season out into little chunks so they have four or five game runs.

"So they focus on a short number of games - they don't focus on the entire season. And it's worked well for them. They work as a group, they are focused as a group. The results are being delivered as a group and the performances of the players has blown everyone away.

"To get back into the top four has been the priority absolutely. But what I would say is that if you want to win anything, then you have to believe you can win it."

Liverpool travel to Manchester United on March 16.