Allen: Strong voices will push squad on
Joe Allen has no concerns about Liverpool lifting themselves from the disappointment of elimination from the FA Cup because he knows the strong personalities within the dressing room will allow nothing else.
Back from injury, the Welsh midfielder completed 90 minutes against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski handed the Reds a first defeat of the calendar year.
Steven Gerrard's penalty conversion with more than 20 minutes remaining in the tie in North London had provided the platform for a grandstand finish, but the Gunners held on to reach the quarter-finals.
The spirited display is a natural result of the character throughout the squad, according to Allen, who pledged that Brendan Rodgers' side will target an immediate response when they return to Barclays Premier League duty at home to Swansea City.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: "We never know when we're beaten and that's a great characteristic to have. We've got strong personalities in that dressing room that will make sure we give everything until the very end.
"Naturally, we're really disappointed to get knocked out of the cup. 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.
"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."
Sunday was the first time Allen's name featured in a Liverpool starting XI since the Premier League fixture at Chelsea on December 29; the midfielder had watched his colleagues avoid defeat in the nine interim games.
"I've not been surprised," said the 23-year-old. "I know the quality we've got in this dressing room. We're looking forward to the last 12 games now to really put a big push in, give everything in every game and see where that takes us.
"I was looking forward to the opportunity to play, the first time in a while to get a start. Unfortunately, I wasn't part of a winning performance but I'm happy to get 90 minutes under my belt."