Jurgen Klopp says three wins from Liverpool's final four games should be enough to get them into the Champions League next season -- though four would be better.
Third-placed Liverpool are competing with the Manchester clubs and Arsenal to get into the top four, likely for the two spots behind Premier League title contenders Chelsea and Tottenham.
Klopp's men travel to Watford on Monday, before games against Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough, but the manager is taking no chances with the teams immediately below Liverpool all holding games in hand.
"Even if I didn't feel pressure, I would with your questions," Klopp told the Liverpool Echo. "One of the first things I learned in football is that it makes sense only to think about the next game. It has absolutely no influence on the games after that, and you have no idea who you can use in the game after this.
"You have another four, five, six days to prepare for this game and think about this game. They are important, we know.
"If we win no games in the last four, it will be difficult to be in the Champions League. If we win one, it will be unlikely. If we win two, it's not really likely.
"But if we start winning three, it can work. If we win four, I would say it's more likely it will happen. So that's how it is. We know all this. But the only way to do this is to win the next one, and that's what we should try.
"It's difficult enough without involving all the pressure around. I know my team, and they will listen to what I say. That means we are focused on our own path. That's the only thing we have real influence on.
"If that's what life was like for football managers, it would pretty much solve all our problems. It would be perfect but it will be hard. It's always like this.
"We stand here and I should say now: 'We have to win all four games.' Do we know how the other teams will play their games? Maybe they will lose all of them. That may be not possible."
Liverpool received a boost for their run-in with Adam Lallana returning to full training on Friday, and Klopp admitted he could be tempted to rush his player back to action.
"Yes, that's true," he said. "I saw his last four rehabs sessions and he looked really good.
"In the end, it's a difference from that to first-team training but it's wonderful to have him back. In our situation, to have a player back from injury, it's great.
"You have to think about whether he could start and whether he is ready for 45 minutes or more. If not then he cannot start because we cannot make the first change in the first half.
"We'll see how he is but it's the best news we could get."
Daniel Sturridge is also training again, but Klopp said injuries should not be an excuse for not being in a loftier position.
"We are stronger, for sure," he said. "If we had the whole squad together for the whole year like one or two of the other competitors, we could easily have four or five points more and that would make a big difference. That is exactly the same squad.
"Yes, we made a big step but we have been a bit unlucky if you go through our injuries. For the whole season, we have not even had 10 muscle injuries. The rest were knocks, blocked balls and ligaments here and there -- really not good for us and at the wrong moments too, sometimes two decisive players and in the last few weeks, three decisive players on the sidelines. So that is not cool.
"But if we would had two or three more players of this quality in our squad, it would have helped us in this moment. But at the other moments, it would have disturbed the team because top players are not good for the atmosphere when they are not being used. We know the situation will be different next season but I can still see the big steps we made.
"If we had two or three players more of this quality in our squad it would have helped at this moment, but in all the other moments it would have disturbed the team because the players you don't use are not good for the atmosphere.
"That is how it is so the situation will be different next season. Finally I am fine with the squad, I don't know if I should be, but I can see big steps have been made."