Liverpool's self-belief has enabled them to fight back from losing positions this season, manager Juergen Klopp said after his side's 2-1 comeback victory over Fulham in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
Fulham took a first-half lead with a goal from Willian, before Curtis Jones and substitute Cody Gakpo scored three minutes apart to turn the match around.
It marked the seventh time Liverpool have won after conceding the first goal in all competitions this season, the most of any side in England's top four tiers in 2023-24.
"To turn around a game, first and foremost you need quality; to turn a game around you obviously need belief. That's the main thing and summing up everything beyond that is mentality," Klopp told reporters on Wednesday.
"We had that this season where we had to overcome real difficulties very early in the season and nobody knew how we would react on that because you cannot plan it, you cannot train, you just watch it.
"The boys did it against Bournemouth at home, against Newcastle away... So, in the situation we are in with a lot of players not in — we don't go for excuses and stuff like this, but it is obvious, you have to change."
Gakpo's winner was the 30th goal contribution this season by a Liverpool substitute, 12 more than any other English Premier League club, with Klopp saying it was important to take risks while making changes.
"That's how it is, but it must be the right moment," Klopp added. "When we have all available, the quality we can bring on then is pretty good, I have to say."
Gakpo credited team's mentality for Liverpool's impressive season so far. "It's the mentality in the group, in the club, in the city, just keep going and it doesn't matter what happens and we showed that again today," Gakpo told Sky Sports. "If you have that mentality a lot of things can happen.
"(Jones) got a very important goal to get us back in the game and after that I felt we really dominated, not only with possession but creating chances and then the second so I was happy," he added.
"I love playing with these guys. We showed good mentality and have to keep going as it's only the first leg of this game."
Jones said he was happy that Liverpool fans left the Anfield smiling. "In the first half it was tough, we had all the ball but couldn't find the back of the net and in the second half we changed that around," Jones told Sky Sports. "The fans are leaving with smiles on their faces so I'm happy."
Klopp praised the "exceptional" performance of 20-year-old Conor Bradley, who started in defence in place of Alexander-Arnold.
"He will probably fall asleep in the dressing room," Klopp said. "Wonderful, what a boy, what a character. Everyone loves him."
Liverpool, top of the Premier League standings, face 12th-placed Bournemouth on January 21 before travelling to Craven Cottage for the second leg on January 24.
Spanish Super Cup: Real prevail in thrilling derby
Riyadh: An own goal by defender Stefan Savic and a strike by Brahim Diaz late in extra time gave Real Madrid a 5-3 comeback win over city rivals Atletico in a rip-roaring Spanish Super Cup semi-final here on Wednesday.
Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal and Ibrahim Diaz were the other scorers for Real.
The rivalry, the comeback and the stakes combined to make this arguably the best match of the Spanish season, with two fearless sides battling for 120 minutes in a breathtaking derby.
“It was spectacular, but we don’t enjoy matches like this,” Real manager Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.
Atletico, who inflicted Real’s only loss of the season in September, started the game on top with Brazilian winger Samuel Lino almost opening the scoring with a curling strike that was saved by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
However, there was nothing Kepa could do when Antoine Griezmann lifted his corner into the box and defender Mario Hermoso sent a towering header.
Reuters
