Rodgers: Restore confidence at Rovers
Brendan Rodgers has tasked his Liverpool team with summoning the level of confidence that allowed for a 13-game unbeaten league run when they tackle Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup.
Prior to punishing defeats by Manchester United and Arsenal in their past two matches, the Reds had recorded a lengthy streak without a loss in the Barclays Premier League, including 10 victories.
Back-to-back reversals have severely dented ambitions of claiming a Champions League qualification berth, though all is not lost with seven fixtures still to play before the season's end.
And with an FA Cup quarter-final replay at Ewood Park this evening offering the chance to go to Wembley in the competition's last four, the manager wants to see his side show belief again.
"The important thing is to remain calm and get over Saturday's defeat," said Rodgers. "We have analysed the performance and that allows us to do that and to move forward.
"As a team we haven't performed well in the last two games and the results are the consequence of that. Now we have to think about getting back to how we played in that run of games.
"We know we need to win but it's about how we play. It's just about preparing them on the training field and looking to reinforce the confidence.
"We have the benefit of analysing our performances, looking at why we played well and why we won games, and it is about retaining that. You have to continue to work and be positive."
The boss has spoken repeatedly throughout the campaign of how lifting a trophy was an objective he set for the Liverpool squad at the outset last August.
After a narrow elimination at the semi-final stage of the Capital One Cup, the Reds are determined to secure that silverware in the FA Cup, a feat Rodgers considers important for the players.
He added: "Winning the FA Cup would certainly give us a great boost as a team with lots of young players. That's the expectancy we want. We want to be able to be challenging every year.
"That was the key thing for me, to get the group challenging at the top end of the league and for trophies. The FA Cup would mark a good step forward for us.
"Our attitude and our mindset are to get to the FA Cup final and win it, and we will be fighting to the very end in the league. There is everything still to play for and we can still make it a really successful season."