Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has vowed the Premier League leaders will produce the reaction of champions after seeing their FA Cup hopes ended at Chelsea.
The Anfield side suffered a shock first defeat of the league campaign at Watford and were on the end of a 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Jurgen Klopp’s men – beaten 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Atletico Madrid – must now regroup for the visit of Bournemouth, another team scrapping for points at the wrong end of the table.
But Mane is confident the players will swiftly raise their game once again.
“We have another important game on Saturday [against Bournemouth] and then on Wednesday [against Atletico], so we will be ready and we will be back again,” Mane said. “This can happen in football and we are used to it. We just have to keep working hard and keep going if we want to be great champions.”
Midfielder Curtis Jones was one of the Liverpool youngsters who revelled in their FA Cup run. The 19-year-old intends to make the most of any more opportunities which come his way this season.
“I think for a young lad at such a big club it is not always easy getting game time as much as you would like or in the games that you would like, but the gaffer has shown great belief in myself and the rest of the young lads,” Jones said on the Liverpool club website.
“Hopefully I have paid him back in a great way and look forward to a few more [games] along the way.”