Boss: We'll respond to disappointment

Liverpool kicked off a week involving three quick-fire matches with an unexpected 3-1 defeat at the KC Stadium on Sunday, with two second-half goals handing the Tigers all three points on Humberside.

Rodgers' side have an opportunity to provide an immediate response, however, with Norwich City and West Ham United - both currently in the bottom half - visiting Anfield on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.

The Northern Irishman has yet to suffer consecutive league defeats since taking the reins as Liverpool boss in the summer of 2012 and backed his players to react accordingly when they return to action in two days' time.

"In the time I've been here, we've never lost two games on the spin, and that's really down to the positivity of the players and how they can bounce back and recover after a defeat," Rodgers told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

"I always have to look at the bigger picture and, for me, the bigger picture is still very bright. We just need to get over the disappointment - which we will do.

"I'll always demand the best, that's why we're at a club like this. We're not here to be second or great losers, we're here to win. We've shown that we have the capacity to do that consistently now.

"The only way you can respond is to put your head down, take whatever comes and work tirelessly going forward to get the result.

"The expectancy here is to win every game, that's the reality of being a Liverpool player or manager. Over the course of this year, we've been very good.

"We've upgraded on a lot of parts of our performance that we wanted to do. We've got an exciting team. That wasn't the case yesterday.

"But over the course of this calendar year, we've been excellent. This season at home, we've only conceded three goals and one of them a penalty.

"It's probably just that too often away from home we've made mistakes and that has ultimately cost us. There are other games where we've been able to muster a draw when we haven't played so well, but yesterday we just couldn't do that."

Watch the video here »

Reflecting further on the loss against Hull, the manager continued: "It was painful, that was the overriding feeling. Of course, when you've been doing so well this season, to get that defeat and probably more the performance, it's disappointing.

"When you perform how we did, we probably didn't deserve to get anything from it. But in the main, our form has been very good, so I can't criticise the players too much.

"If there was anyone to blame, blame me as the manager. Today we're just reflecting, recovering and looking forward to our next two games.

"Over the course of the season, the players have been brilliant - we just had an off day yesterday. We made mistakes and the two own goals were unfortunate for us.

"We go into two home games now, that's what we're focusing on. If we get the points, starting with Norwich on Wednesday, then we're still well on course for where we want to go.

"At this moment in time, we sit fourth; if we win on Wednesday night, we could be second again. That's our idea - to retain that positivity in our mind and look to get a good performance, which is important for us."

Liverpool will welcome Chris Hughton's Norwich to a ground where the Reds have lost just twice in the league during this calendar year when the two sides lock horns at Anfield.

Rodgers knows how vital the home support will be when his side look to make amends for the weekend's disappointment - and the manager is targeting an early goal to set the Reds on the way to victory.

"At this level, the first goal is vitally important, and in particular for us, at Anfield," he explained. "When I came in I could sense that anxiety around [not getting an early goal]. But now, we go into it free-flowing and we always feel that we have a really good mind-set playing at home.

"It's where we love to play and the earlier the goal, the better for us, because it gives us that confidence to go on and take the initiative in the game. So for us, it will be the same idea starting on Wednesday.

"We had set ourselves some targets over the course of five games and these are the final two in that little block of targets.

"We always want to win our home games. At Anfield this calendar year we've had 15 games where we've won 10, drawn three and lost two. So our record has been very good. We go into the game with confidence.

"We want to put it right for the supporters as well, because they were hugely disappointed after the game against Hull.

"For us, they've been magnificent and they've given us great backing and great support and we disappointed them yesterday. So we've got two games now to make that right, starting against Norwich."

The manager revealed that Philippe Coutinho will be fit for the clash against the Canaries after the Brazilian managed just under half an hour in the defeat against Hull.

"Coutinho allows you to penetrate - I think that was one of the things that was missing from our performance yesterday," said Rodgers. "We were too slow and too predictable.

"Then when he came onto the pitch, people started to run beyond and get forward because he plays the forward pass. And that's something that we have seen throughout his time here. So it's great to have him fit."

While Coutinho has been declared ready to return, Daniel Sturridge will be sidelined until mid-January after the England international suffered an ankle sprain in training last week.

However, the message from the manager is unequivocal - in Sturridge's absence, the onus is on the team as a whole to make the step up and perform.

"The responsibility is for the people coming in and for the rest of the team," explained Rodgers. "We have to find a different way of getting the result and I'm confident, as I see enough of the players every day, to know that we will fight in order to do that.

"Daniel is going to be out for a period of time. But we'll cope. It's the responsibility of everyone. We can't rely on one player - it has to be about the team and that's what we'll focus on.

"When you twist your ankle like Daniel has done, it probably surprised us how serious it was. But the scans don't lie. It's just really unfortunate - he has found a home here that he loves. He's found that he loves playing at Anfield and he loves the club.

"When you're that level of player, the idea is to be fit every day and to play in every game. And I think he has shown that when he plays, his goal record is fantastic.

"We just hope he can get back quickly. He recovers very well. We'll soldier on with what we have and the players, I know, will give absolutely everything.

"Of course, we're a better team whenever we have both [Sturridge and Luis Suarez] at the top of their game. That's been the whole talk since Luis came back - their partnership, their relationship and how they have combined.

"Daniel gives you that explosive speed and power and that combination [with Luis]. But like we have done in the past, we'll find different ways to win. And that's our idea. I think the important thing for us is just to refocus back on our performance.

"But we're not going to succeed if we can only rely on those two. We now have to find a different way to win games. There's a responsibility for the whole."

[OTPA_WIDGET_CONTENT]

The defeat on Humberside was the Reds' third of the current Premier League campaign.

It saw Liverpool slip from second to fourth in the table - but the manager knows a victory against Norwich on Wednesday will keep his side in and amongst the chasing pack at the league's summit.

"It's that type of league; if you lose a game, you can drop a few places," said Rodgers. "If you win a couple of games on the spin, it will keep you up there. Our idea was to get through to the midway point being in and around the top positions, which we have been until now.

"We've had some outstanding performances - Sunday was disappointing, of course. The league has shown this year, as much as any other time at this level, that it's very unpredictable and the scoreline probably suggested that yesterday.

"But you can't dwell on it. You've got to refocus and reset and go again and that's what we will look to do."

The boss was questioned on whether his thoughts have turned to the upcoming January transfer window and the chance to strengthen his squad by bringing in reinforcements.

He responded: "I'm really only focusing on where we're at, at this moment in time, which is the group of players we have.

"I think every window for us will be exactly the same - if there's a player we think can improve our squad and in particular the team, I'm sure we will be able to go out and get that player.

"It was always going to be the case that if we had a few injuries to key players, that leaves us light. It's no different to a lot of squads, but for us it's even more prominent because Daniel Sturridge and young Coutinho were not playing and they are good players.

"But we've got other players that are working very hard and they'll get an opportunity now. Now the responsibility falls on everyone to keep up our performance level."