Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is confident he can turn around his season after admitting he is not pleased with the way he has played so far.

The 29-year-old England midfielder has struggled to exert his usual influence on games and has scored just nine goals - his worst return for three years.

His form will also be of concern to England boss Fabio Capello with the 2010 World Cup just around the corner.

"It's not worrying me. I'm confident it can switch at any time," Gerrard said.

Liverpool have lost only one of the nine games that he has scored in this season, but their skipper has failed to recapture the form that saw him hit more than 20 goals in each of the last two seasons.

It may be due in part to a niggling groin injury suffered while playing for England against Ukraine in a World Cup qualifier and then aggravated in October's 2-1 home defeat by Lyon in the Champions League.

Despite that and uncertainty over his future - Gerrard is a saleable asset for a club with debts of over £200m - he remains confident he can end the domestic season on a high and take that form to South Africa in June.

Liverpool are currently sixth with seven games remaining in the race for fourth spot and the final Champions League qualification place.

606: DEBATE It could be a very close finish to the season Aquilonso

The Reds are four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who also have a game in hand.

"The challenge for me now in the remaining games is to step up and drive Liverpool into fourth, try to go to the Europa League final and go to the World Cup," said Gerrard.

"If you look at my form through the season as a whole I am not totally happy. It can be better.

"I have played well this season but I have come out of games when I have not been totally happy.

"I am my own worse critic, I know myself when it is good and when it needs to be stepped up."

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