'It always depends on your next game'
Jamie Carragher says Liverpool can only judge if their draw at Arsenal was a good point after they have overcome the challenge of facing Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday.
The 35-year-old started a second successive league game at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, when the Reds sacrificed a two-goal advantage in a match which eventually ended 2-2.
Given that Jordan Henderson doubled the visitors' lead on the hour mark, Carragher and co could be forgiven for considering the result as a missed opportunity at the home of a rival.
But the defender was judging his glass as half-full, insisting that victory over City this weekend would put the draw in London in a completely different context.
"It's one of those difficult ones because before the game you'd accept it; after an hour, you'd be disappointed," Carragher reflected to Sky Sports.
"I always think when you get a draw it depends on how you get on in your next game.
"If we win there, it's a great four points. If we lose, it's only one point out of six. We've got to pick something up at City."
The Reds' No.23 was asked whether his teammates were given a brief to pressure the Gunners with a view to forcing, and capitalising on, mistakes from the home side.
He replied: "That was the plan, I'm sure that was their plan as well.
"You want to put them under pressure - we had a game plan to come here, try to make it difficult for them and hit them on the counter-attack.
"It was working for the first hour. But credit to Arsenal, they put us under a lot of pressure and we just couldn't withhold it."
Carragher reached the 700 game mark for Liverpool earlier this season and sits second on the club's all-time appearance list - behind only Ian Callaghan.
First-team chances have been harder to come by in recent years, but the Bootle native insists he remains ready for the challenge.
"It's a big squad, we all want to play," he added.
"I've been patient and fortunately enough the manager has put me in. Hopefully I can stay there. If not, you go again and try to get back in."
Also currently in the boss' good books is Henderson, who found the target for the second consecutive league fixture and impressed with another energetic display from midfield.
The 22-year-old echoed his older colleague's sentiments about the match with the Gunners, and urged the Reds to keep pushing in their battle for league position.
"It was a good game of football. I thought we played well at times but went into a little bit of a spell when they scored two goals where we went under pressure and conceded two," said Henderson.
"Overall, we've got to go away positive - it's a good point, Arsenal are a good side. We've got to be happy, but going 2-0 up a little bit disappointed to concede two so quickly.
"It's nice to be getting chances and scoring, but the team is helping me get into some great positions because of the movement of Suarez and Sturridge.
"As a team we're performing quite well at the moment. We've got to keep going and pushing up the league - hopefully we'll get a good finish."