Boss: Resolve shows form is returning
The resolve that Liverpool showed to rescue a point from a drama-filled 2-2 draw with Arsenal today suggests to Brendan Rodgers that his team are rediscovering the levels of performance produced frequently during his reign.
With seven minutes out of the allotted nine of stoppage time having elapsed, Martin Skrtel leapt to meet a corner in front of the Kop and expertly direct a header beyond the reach of Wojciech Szczesny.
The equaliser was the least the Reds deserved from a robust display that had, at times, overwhelmed the Gunners and included a sublime opener from the right foot of the tenacious and creative Philippe Coutinho.
Arsenal struck back immediately when Mathieu Debuchy nodded home within seconds of the Brazilian's deadlock-breaker, and proceedings sharply turned in their favour after the interval through Olivier Giroud's finish at the conclusion of a rapid counter-attack.
Yet Rodgers' charges would not buckle and, despite having only 10 men on the field in the closing stages following a dismissal for substitute Fabio Borini, produced the game-changing moment for Skrtel deep into the contest.
"I think it says everything about our character," the manager reflected to reporters at his post-match press conference. "Slowly, we're getting back to where we want to get to. We've had one defeat in eight games.
"I thought our performance today was outstanding. We're starting to see that passing, the intensity and, importantly for us, the pressing in our game is starting to return.
"We're disappointed with the goals that we have conceded, especially at the end of the first half. But the character and the quality of the team today was very good. We played better and dominated more than we did last year, when we won 5-1.
"Clearly it shows we're returning to somewhere near how we've worked for the two-and-a-half years I've been here. We always respect them and their game. They have got some outstanding players.
"But you saw today that when we play our game and get back to that level of pressing, we're a difficult team to play against. Hopefully, moving forward, the last week's games and performance levels will hopefully bring us to what we've been since I've been here - where we get stronger in the second part of the season.
"You saw the confidence in the team today, it is not a team lacking in confidence. Their arrogance with the ball was great and their work-rate and mentality was outstanding.
"Arsenal will probably be delighted with the point, with how we played today. There are lots of positives for us that we'll take into our future games."
The head that helped Liverpool claim a share of the spoils was heavily bandaged as a result of an unfortunate incident involving Giroud and Skrtel that prompted treatment to the latter and a lengthy pause in the game.
The boss explained: "We just had to wait and see. Martin is obviously a strong character. Thankfully he stayed on and scored a great header. He's a real warrior. He's been outstanding since he came back into the team over a year or so ago.
"Those goals are important for us. He was the top-scoring defensive player in the league last year. It was a great ball into the box and a good header. He showed great character and determination to stay on."
Rodgers admitted he was not satisfied with the goals conceded by his team, however, with a set-piece situation proving their undoing just before the conclusion of a first half that they had dominated.
"The first goal was one where you've got to defend better in the duel," was his assessment. "We lost three headers in the box, which can't happen when you've got three centre-halves in your team. Debuchy got the goal.
"We do a lot of work on organisation and set-up and you can see that in our pressing. A lot of our goals that we give away are poor goals. I didn't think it should have been a free-kick, but when it comes in, we lose three one-on-one headers in the box.
"We have to be better at that. And that's not organisation, that's about the duel and winning the duel. At the end of the first half, in which we were absolutely outstanding in our movement, our passing and our pressing, we've gone in at 1-1 and we've got to regroup again.
"For the second one, we could have stopped it higher up the field before they break away and it comes in. There are always areas of the game that we can improve.
"But we showed immense character in the second half. We continued with our football. We had 27 efforts on goal. The speed of the team was starting to return, the movement. The passing was short and crisp.
"To restrict them to so few shots was impressive by the team. But, for me, the key was that we are moving in the right direction - one defeat in eight. We'll continue with that work-rate and mentality and turn those draws into victories."
Reporters quizzed the Northern Irishman on his belief in Liverpool's chances of claiming a position among the Barclays Premier League's top four in the second half of the campaign, with nine points currently the difference.
He unequivocally backed his side's potential to eradicate that deficit in 2015, pointing to the renewed confidence within the squad and the upcoming return of Daniel Sturridge as reasons for optimism.
Rodgers concluded: "It was always going to be a big challenge. We've got to make up points - we've got to make that up over the next part of the season.
"But we have showed that this is a group that can go on a run of games. In the second half of last season, we went on a run of 11 games [won]. If we can put a run of games together, that can very quickly move you up.
"You saw today that the most important thing was the confidence and ability in the team returning. Align that with the pressure and intensity they bring to the game.
"You bring Sturridge back into that, hopefully in the New Year, in January, and then you get back to being the team that we have been in the last few years. There's work to do but at least we're moving in the right direction again - which is what we want."