BLACKBURN Rovers defender Stephen Warnock believes a top-six place is still achievable following yesterday's thumping 3-0 win over Portsmouth.

Rovers kept their slim hopes of qualifying for Europe alive with a resounding win over a Pompey side that also has aspirations in regard to a UEFA Cup spot.

Two goals from Shabani Nonda and a third from Warnock - his first for the club - were enough to sweep aside Harry Redknapp's men in a one-sided contest at Ewood Park.

And the former Liverpool defender later said that result went some way towards erasing the disappointment felt after last week's UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.

"I think we needed that," said Warnock.

"We let ourselves down the other night against Leverkusen. We had chances to put it away and it could have been a different story.

"We created three or four chances in the second half and had we taken one, it could have been completely different.

"So we knew we had to come back with a good performance here because our biggest chance of qualifying for Europe now is through the league, and if we can get the right results, especially at Ewood where we know we are strong, that will hopefully take us forward."

That defeat to Leverkusen - Rovers lost 3-2 on aggregate after a goalless draw in the second leg at Ewood last Thursday - came as a hammer blow to manager Mark Hughes and his players because they believed they had a genuine chance of going all the way in the competition.

But instead of moping around, Warnock and his team-mates are now more determined than ever to qualify for Europe again, either via their league position, or through the FA Cup, where they face a fifth round replay with Arsenal this week.

"I don't think the manager really had to speak to us, to be honest, to fire us up yesterday," said Warnock.

"We all knew that we'd let ourselves down and thrown away a great opportunity to go on in the competition and do well.

"But looking back on it now, hopefully that can spur us on to have a good finish to the season.

"I think you've got to look at every game as winnable. Obviously, we've still got the likes of Manchester United to play away from home, which is going to be difficult, but I think we are capable of beating anyone on our day if we work hard.

"I think we showed that against Portsmouth. They're one of the Premiership's form teams and they're up there for a reason, but we did well against them."

Warnock was a pivotal figure in yesterday's victory, and he capped an impressive performance by grabbing Rovers' third goal after some unselfish work by Nonda.

He added: "I've had a few opportunities to score now, so to get on the end of something was great."