Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen says the team will pick themselves up straight away and focus on getting back to winning after Sunday’s disappointing FA Cup exit at Arsenal.
Joe Allen in action against Arsenal’s Mathieu Flamini. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The Reds went down 2-1 at the Emirates thanks to goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lucas Podolski, with Steven Gerrard getting one back from the penalty spot for the visitors.
Allen came back into the starting line-up, replacing Jordan Henderson, who had undergone wrist surgery earlier in the week.
It was Liverpool’s first defeat of 2014, and now attentions return to their exciting Premier League campaign — where they face Allen’s old club Swansea City next Sunday at Anfield.
“Naturally, we’re really disappointed to get knocked out of the cup,” Allen told the club’s official website. “We certainly played well enough to have got a win, never mind a draw, on another day.
“I think there are positives in the sense that we created chances and played some good stuff, but unfortunately we conceded two goals and that’s the end of our cup run.
“If you analyse the game, there are probably not many faults that you could see in our game. It’s disappointing not to have come through; but, of course, at the Emirates against a very good Arsenal team it was never going to be easy.”
Arsenal will play Everton in the sixth round of the FA Cup in March, and also have Champions League commitments with a mouthwatering tie against Bayern Munich this week.
With Liverpool thee points off the Gunners, and four off league leaders Chelsea, title talk around Anfield is getting louder by the day.
But for now Allen says the important thing is to not let heads drop and continue their winning momentum which has seen five wins from seven league games since the turn of the year.
The Welsh international added, “People always talk about the sign of a great team is to bounce back as soon as you do have a disappointment – that will be the case for us now.
“Our focus turns straight to that game and playing at Anfield has been brilliant for us this season. We’re hoping to make sure we play well and get the three points.”
Liverpool vs Swansea gets underway at 1.30pm on Sunday, 23rd January 2014.
petikan dari Liverpool FC, This is Anfield, Teamtalk
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