Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that the Reds need to win the FA Cup this season to give the club's young players the belief they can regularly pick up silverware.
Gerrard has collected his fair share of trophies at Anfield, not least in 2005, when he won the Champions League under Rafael Benitez.
Current Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has never won a major trophy in his career, while the same is true for a number of young talents in the Reds squad.
Today Liverpool play Aston Villa in an FA Cup semi-final clash, with Arsenal waiting for the winners in the final. And Gerrard has already given thought to what winning the competition could do for Liverpool.
"We need something that is going to act as a catalyst for this current young squad, something that is going to give the players the belief they can be successful for a number of years", he said via his club's site.
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"Sometimes, it takes a major trophy for you to get that belief. The experience of going to Wembley makes you want to get back there as soon as possible.
"So the Aston Villa game becomes very important.
"We realise it's going to be very tough but if we get through it will do everyone in the squad wonders, as well as Brendan and the staff."
Gerrard is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season to link up with Los Angeles Galaxy and, with the FA Cup final set to be played on his birthday, it has been suggested as the perfect way for the 34-year-old to sign off on his career at Anfield.
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