Despite losing to Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup on Sunday Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is confident that the Reds now with just one thing to focus on can challenge the top-three for the Premiership title as they prepare to take on Swansea City at home next Sunday.
Liverpool are just four points behind league leaders Chelsea who along with Manchester City must face Liverpool at Anfield where the reds have been impressive all season having only lost once at home early in the season to Southampton.
“There is nothing to be down about. Sometimes you just don’t get what you deserve from games and this was an example of that,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“We have to move on, dust ourselves off and go again against Swansea next Sunday.
“The way we’re playing at the moment, we’re a match for anyone. Going forward, we look so dangerous and we are creating more than enough chances to win games.”
The Liverpool captain expects the team to recover quickly from the loss and is ready to push on for the title with nothing else left to play for unlike the clubs above them who still have the Champions League to worry about.
“People are talking about us being a top side and rightly so,” he added. “We need to bounce back quickly – that’s what top sides do after a setback.
“They don’t feel sorry for themselves, they look to the future and focus on getting back to winning ways.
“I know going out of the cup won’t have a negative impact on the league. Our home form has been excellent and we need to continue that by taking maximum points at Anfield next Sunday.”
Despite the controversy surrounding referee Howard Webb not awarding Liverpool a penalty and then not sending Gerrard off for a second bookable offense the England international is adamant that Webb remains a top official.
“In my opinion, it was a stonewall penalty,” Gerrard said. “It was even more blatant than the penalty which was awarded. The referee was very close to the incident. It’s one you expect to get.
“Howard Webb is a top referee and I’m sure he will have a look at it himself.
“He obviously did not think it was a foul, but I am disappointed with the decision.
“It was a big decision that didn’t go our way. That might have been the goal which would have given us a replay.”
“Obviously we’re going away really disappointed with the result but we can’t be disappointed with how we played,” he added.
“The least we deserved was a replay. Going out of the Cup is a blow but the effort, the attitude and the character was excellent.
“We created enough chances and really took the game to Arsenal in the second half, but big moments went against us.”
