Mignolet: We can respond in same way
Simon Mignolet acknowledged Liverpool's disappointment with Sunday's defeat by Manchester United, but insisted they can respond in the same positive manner they did to their loss at Old Trafford earlier this season.
The Reds went down 2-1 at Anfield as a Juan Mata strike in each half sealed the three points for the visitors in the race for a top-four finish.
Daniel Sturridge's Kop end conversion gave Liverpool late hope, but their prospects of taking something from the contest had been dashed by the sending-off of Steven Gerrard just seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute.
"When you play at home, you always want to win, but unfortunately it didn't happen," Mignolet reflected to Liverpoolfc.com afterwards in the Anfield tunnel.
"They scored in the first half and against a team like Manchester United, it's always difficult after that.
"In the second half, we tried to come back with a new plan to try to make sure we got a result out of the game. We scored a goal late on, but unfortunately they'd scored a second on the counter-attack and it was difficult.
"With 10 men we fought hard to get something out of the game, but it didn't happen."
The margin of Liverpool's defeat could have been greater had Mignolet not saved a Wayne Rooney penalty in stoppage-time - a feat he admits he can take no satisfaction from.
The 'keeper continued: "We had some chances once we got back into the game. We got the goal through Daniel, but unfortunately we didn't then get the chance to get an equaliser.
"With 10 men, we fought hard to get something out of the game, but it didn't happen for us. The penalty save isn't important anymore. Skrts [Martin Skrtel] had a chance after that, but it wasn't to be today."
The result leaves Liverpool trailing fourth-place United by five points in the Barclays Premier League table with eight matches left to play.
It also brought an end to their 13-game unbeaten run in the division, a sequence kick-started following a 3-0 reversal at Old Trafford in mid-December.
Nonetheless, Mignolet insists he and his teammates will refuse to give up on their hopes of securing Champions League qualification and will be out to put a similar run of results together once they return from the international break.
He said: "There's still a lot to play for and when we come back from international duty, we've got that big game against Arsenal.
"The game away to Manchester United at Old Trafford we used as a catalyst to put in a lot of good performances - so let's use this game as a catalyst again when we come back.
"With all the games still to play until the end of the season, we can still do really well. We'll build on the game and hopefully we can come back and get a run going again like we did after that Old Trafford game."
Meanwhile, Mignolet also praised Gerrard for his decision to face the media cameras after the match and take 'full responsibility' for his sending-off.
"That's what he is about," said the Belgian. "He spoke to the team after the game inside the dressing room and what was said exactly shall stay in there, but it shows who and what he is off the pitch."