Liverpool's deep-lying ball-pinging midfielder Xabi Alonso has issued a plea to his Anfield team-mates indicating that the painful 3-1 midweek defeat against Chelsea needs to be put to bed, buried, and forgotten, so that it does not jeopardise their Premier League title ambitions.
Liverpool host Sam Allardyce's Blackburn Rovers in an early kick-off tie on Saturday that will introduce the latest round of domestic action. The Reds have an opportunity to usurp Manchester United at the head of the table should they claim a positive result, therefore keeping the pressure on the current league leaders, who do not get their own game underway until the afternoon.
Alonso told the club's official website, "It's very important for us. I hope it won't be tough to forget about Chelsea because we are professionals and this is another competition. We still have a chance to fight for the Premier League.
"At home this season we have dropped too many points - this time it has to be different. We have to start very well and play very well to win the game. It's important to do our job and that is to win this game. Of course I will be happy if we are still top after United's game but we have to wait."
Regarding the manner in which the side snuck a 1-0 win against Fulham last weekend, Alonso continued, "We enjoyed ourselves after Yossi Benayoun scored because it was reassuring after the international break that we were still in the title race. Obviously I could see the fans were enjoying it too.
"Of course, there is no doubt United are still favourites. They have the advantage and we respect that but our job is to try to go for it and fight."
On the prospect of facing a hard-working Allardyce unit, Alonso concluded by saying, "They work very well as a team and they got a great result against Tottenham last weekend from a difficult position.
"They are also fighting relegation, which will make it even more difficult."
Liverpool host Sam Allardyce's Blackburn Rovers in an early kick-off tie on Saturday that will introduce the latest round of domestic action. The Reds have an opportunity to usurp Manchester United at the head of the table should they claim a positive result, therefore keeping the pressure on the current league leaders, who do not get their own game underway until the afternoon.
Alonso told the club's official website, "It's very important for us. I hope it won't be tough to forget about Chelsea because we are professionals and this is another competition. We still have a chance to fight for the Premier League.
"At home this season we have dropped too many points - this time it has to be different. We have to start very well and play very well to win the game. It's important to do our job and that is to win this game. Of course I will be happy if we are still top after United's game but we have to wait."
Regarding the manner in which the side snuck a 1-0 win against Fulham last weekend, Alonso continued, "We enjoyed ourselves after Yossi Benayoun scored because it was reassuring after the international break that we were still in the title race. Obviously I could see the fans were enjoying it too.
"Of course, there is no doubt United are still favourites. They have the advantage and we respect that but our job is to try to go for it and fight."
On the prospect of facing a hard-working Allardyce unit, Alonso concluded by saying, "They work very well as a team and they got a great result against Tottenham last weekend from a difficult position.
"They are also fighting relegation, which will make it even more difficult."
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