Javier: We must keep belief in our style

The 3-4-3 approach, which has now become a mainstay, made its first appearance against Manchester United on December 14, when Brendan Rodgers deployed three central defenders for the showdown at Old Trafford.

Jordan Henderson and Alberto Moreno were full-backs, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho slotted in behind Raheem Sterling, while Steven Gerrard and Joe Allen operated through the middle.

United were too strong on the day, claiming a 3-0 triumph in the Barclays Premier League clash, but shards of potential in the Reds' approach became apparent and against AFC Bournemouth in the next game, the system shone.

Following another promising display against Arsenal, the festive period brought wins over Burnley and Swansea City before a Leicester City fightback denied Liverpool a third consecutive win.

Manquillo helped dismantle the Swans at Anfield before returning to the starting line-up for the Reds' FA Cup fourth round win over AFC Wimbledon this week - and he's now targeting a place in the side against Sunderland today.

"In Spain, I never played [in a system] like that," he told Liverpoolfc.com. "But here we've been working hard in training to get used to the new system and for now it's going quite well.

[VOTE_1]

"Sunderland are difficult to beat - just like any other team in the Premier League. We're all playing at the same high level, which is what makes it such a great competition.

"We have to believe in ourselves and play our style of football, and if everything goes well, we'll win. It's up to us. We need to keep doing what we've been doing for the last few weeks; we need to play well, to keep believing in ourselves. I think it's going to be a great match.

"Obviously, there are quite a few of us who are new and we've needed time to get settled in. Now I think that, bit by bit, the team's beginning to work well. In training we're working hard to get higher in the table." [VOTE]

Manquillo's induction to FA Cup action was nothing short of traditional as the Spaniard endured a shuddering tackle against the Reds' fourth-tier opposition after a minute of play in Kingston-upon-Thames.

The Dons were relentless as they fought to eradicate a Liverpool lead, which was conjured in part by Manquillo as he placed a pinpoint pass into the path of Gerrard, who powered a header into the back of the net for 1-0.

Adebayo Akinfenwa levelled following a goalmouth scramble; however, Gerrard had the final say as he swerved a free-kick beyond the grasp of James Shea to ensure Liverpool's progress to the fourth round.

"It was a tough game," said Manquillo. "In England, you can't take anything for granted. Even if they're from a lower ranked league, they can still beat you. Yes, it was a difficult game.

"The FA Cup is a different competition. It's great because it offers some of the small teams the chance to win a title and in that sense it's a great competition."

Since the start of December, Liverpool have won four out of their five games away from Anfield, with a solitary loss arriving at Old Trafford midway through the month.

Wins over Leicester and Bournemouth were followed by a narrow Boxing Day triumph over Burnley at Turf Moor before the Gerrard-inspired FA Cup win over Wimbledon rounded off an impressive month on the road for the Reds.

"Home games are always easier with the fans behind us," insisted Manquillo. "But then again, it's true that we're doing well away from home. We've just got to make sure that we carry on playing well in order to climb the table."