Jamie Carragher has urged his Liverpool team-mates to use their 2-0 victory over Arsenal as a springboard for the season ahead.
The Reds’ first ever win at the Emirates Stadium kick-started their campaign after the frustrating opening day stalemate with Sunderland.
“It was a big game for us and a big result,” Carragher said.
“I was aware of how we started last season. When we nearly got a good result against Arsenal and then lost at Manchester City. Suddenly one point from six doesn’t look too good.
“I was worrying about a similar scenario. If we had beaten Sunderland then a draw here wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But getting three points makes up for what happened last week.
“I’m not sure what message it sends out but it may make some people sit up and take notice and think this Liverpool team could maybe do things this season.
“The challenge for us now is to build on this result. This win has put us in a good position.”
Carragher was the only survivor from the last Liverpool side to triumph away to the Gunners way back in February 2000 when Titi Camara got the winner.
The Reds were helped on Saturday by the dismissal of Emmanuel Frimpong prior to Aaron Ramsey’s own goal and Luis Suarez’s late strike.
However, the skipper insists Liverpool were worthy of maximum points against a depleted Arsenal side.
“I think we were good value for the win,” he said. “For them, (Thomas) Vermaelen was outstanding and in the first half he won some crucial headers at the back post. Without him we would have been at least a goal up by half-time.
“I suppose it was a good time to play Arsenal because they have so many injuries at the moment.
“It’s very difficult when you don’t have continuity in the back four and they had (Laurent) Koscielny go off early on. It’s something we tried to take advantage of and fortunately we did.
“It’s the in thing at the moment to criticize Arsene Wenger but with 10 games to go last season they were the real challengers to Manchester United for the title.
“If everyone for Arsenal is fit they are still a formidable team and I certainly don’t think they are a spent force. It’s a long time since we won at Arsenal and that shows what a difficult place it is to come.”
Suarez and Raul Meireles made a big impact in the closing stages after coming off the bench and Carragher believes that underlines the benefit of having greater depth in the squad this season.
“That’s always been a complaint aimed at the club – about the strength of the bench at Liverpool,” he said.
“But we had quality players to come on at Arsenal and they were instrumental in killing the game off for us. Substitutes are massive because a lot of games are won and lost in the last 20 minutes.
“The time to judge the new signings is at the end of the season but I thought they played a massive part in the win. Jordan Henderson was outstanding in a midfield role.”
Liverpool now turns their attentions to Wednesday’s Carling Cup tie at Exeter City before returning to league action at home to Bolton next Saturday.
Carragher said: “Exeter is a massive game for us. We haven’t been in the Carling Cup at this stage for a long time.
“There’s no Europe this season so everybody at the club is determined to do as well as we can in the domestic cups.
"We need to make sure we get through that before thinking about Bolton.”
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