Alisson Becker has dismissed claims that Liverpool’s team have been affected by the World Cup and suggests that players who have come back from the winter tournament need to get out of that mindset.
Alisson was speaking to LFC TV after the Reds were bailed out by two comical own goals from Leicester in a lackluster performance, ultimately winning 2-1 on Friday night. Klopp’s team are chasing the European places after their inconsistent first half of the season.
Liverpool were poor for large portions of the game and were fortunate to come away with the victory, largely losing the midfield battle and looking extremely shaky defensively.
The Brazilian goalkeeper, who went to the quarter finals of the World Cup with his nation, spoke candidly after the game and attempted to describe the current mindset of the Liverpool players who went to the World Cup.
“We cannot rely on excuses. It was only the second (Premier League) game we have played after the World Cup”.
“The players who had time (off), used that to prepare themselves. The ones who went to the World Cup, they could train and then rest to prepare for this moment”.
“Speaking about myself and the players who went to the World Cup, we focused there on the games, but after we finished I was straight with my mind here focused on the next things that we have in front of us”.
“It’s going to be a really important moment of the season now and we have to focus. We have to do better. Sometimes it’s just a matter of mentality. It’s not that easy to change it but we can do that for sure.”
The goalkeeper continued, “The only thing we could take from Friday was the win and the effort we put on the pitch. But there’s a lot of space to improve, looking at the performance we have to do a lot better if the ambition is to keep achieving the goals that we have in front of us”.
Alisson acknowledged supporters’ expectations of the team.
“We have high expectations, and the supporters have high expectations about us. We are a big club, Liverpool is a huge club who always will try to fight for titles and to be there at the top all the time. We have to do more. But we know that”.
“Sometimes it’s a good feeling to win a game that is not clean. We have to look at the positive side as well. We have to focus on the win and the three points”.
“We don’t have too much time to be moaning about the performance. We just have to keep on going and prepare ourselves better for the next game and do better”.
The Brazilian will be hoping his defenders readjust themselves and put in a more commanding display when Liverpool travel to Brentford on Monday evening.
