Fifth place is not good enough for Liverpool, claims Martin Skrtel

Martin Skrtel (Getty)

Hull was where it all started to go really wrong for Liverpool.

The last time they came to Humberside was in May 2010. It was Rafa Benitez's final game as Liverpool manager and it was no way to say goodbye. Liverpool were seventh, 21 points adrift of the leaders, Chelsea.

Hull were already relegated and the two clubs played out a goalless draw. Afterwards, Benitez, whose management looked exhausted, reminded his interviewers he still had four years remaining on his contract. His opposite number, Iain Dowie, also pointed out he would like to be managing Hull next season. Both men were sacked as soon as was decently possible.

The turmoil rather passed Martin Skrtel by. "It was a difficult time for the club but for me personally not really," said the defender Benitez had brought in from Zenit St Petersburg. "I was a new player coming into the club so I was enjoying every single minute. I didn't look into Liverpool's problems, I was just happy to be here. We knew we hadn't had the best season and there was the usual stuff in the papers but I wasn't thinking that Rafa would leave. I was thinking about my holidays."

Had the arrangement not been terminated by the then Liverpool chairman, Martin Broughton, Benitez would now be in the final year of that contract. In the interim, it is likely he would have won more than a League Cup or finished higher than seventh in the Premier League, which is the best the three men who replaced him have been able to muster.

This season might be different. In contrast to the last campaign which saw him make several unsustainable predictions as to where Liverpool might finish, Brendan Rodgers has been cautious when it comes to saying where his team might end up come May. However, with Liverpool second with almost a third of the season done, Skrtel is more emphatic. This has to be the year when Liverpool return to the Champions' League.

"We definitely wouldn't be happy with that," said Skrtel, when asked if he would take fifth place now. "The target for us is the top four. I believe in this team and I know we can reach that goal."

Nevertheless, for Liverpool, this is an opportunity that may not present itself again for a while. The Premier League is in a rare state of flux and Liverpool have no European football to weigh them down in midweek.

Skrtel did not exactly disagree when it was put to him that the Europa League is a competition well worth steering clear of.

Since we were in a car showroom off the East Lancs Road to promote the launch of the Need for Speed PS4 game, it could be said that Liverpool have to accelerate now. However, Skrtel, the proud owner of an Aston Martin Vanquish – worth £165,000 – changes down into third gear when presented with the immediate fixture list.

"We have a very important month in front of us, there are nine matches in December," he said. "We have Chelsea away, Spurs away and Manchester City away." Given Steve Bruce's managerial record against Liverpool – he has avoided defeat in 12 of his 17 matches against them – Hull away might not be straightforward either.

There is another reason why this could be an opportunity Liverpool must take. If they do not make the Champions' League again, it would be hard to imagine Skrtel's friend, Luis Suarez, staying.

In the summer, Skrtel decided to stay at Anfield because his family were so settled in Liverpool; would that be true of Suarez? "Off the pitch, he is a very nice guy," he said. "He is my neighbour and I socialise with him. His English isn't the best but is getting better." But do you see him in Tesco? "Yes, I have seen him in Tesco a few times. Like all of us, Luis has to eat."

Hull City v Liverpool is on Sky Sports 1 today, kick-off 2.05pm

Martin Skrtel was speaking at the launch of Need for Speed Rivals — the only driving game launching on PS4. Need for Speed Rivals is also available on Xbox One and all other formats