Luis Garcia: Reds must look forward, not back
Liverpool must not dwell on their defeat to Leicester City and should instead refocus their minds on Saturday’s clash with Arsenal.
That is the message from former Reds playmaker Luis Garcia, who believes Jürgen Klopp’s team can learn from their setback at the King Power Stadium ahead of the Gunners’ visit to Anfield this weekend.
Klopp saw his side go down 3-1 to the Foxes on Monday night, with Philippe Coutinho’s goal proving no more than a consolation after a Jamie Vardy double and a long-range effort from Danny Drinkwater had put the hosts in command.
Garcia admits that he did not expect Liverpool’s below-par display after a devastating performance had seen them defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in their previous outing.
However, the Spaniard has called on the squad to clear their heads quickly and respond positively against Arsene Wenger’s men.
“After the great game we saw against Tottenham, a fantastic result, we had a break and I think most of us were probably expecting to see the same team [against Leicester] because we have a fantastic chance to get involved in the top four,” Garcia told Liverpoolfc.com, while in Hong Kong for LFC World.
“I think Leicester did a good job, they knew what to do and they did well. After the first goal Liverpool couldn’t get the rhythm of the game. It was surprising, but we have to continue looking forward and keep working.”
We caught up with Luis at the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club in Hong Kong
A 16-day gap following that impressive victory over Spurs preceded the trip to Leicester, and Garcia feels such a break during a season can be a hindrance, rather than a help.
“I can tell you from my experience that when you’re in the rhythm of playing and you’re feeling good, if you have that kind of break then you’re body can relax a bit,” the former No.10 explained.
“They didn’t play a competitive game in those two weeks and you face a team that’s just changed manager, with all their players wanting to show their level - I think they were surprised a bit by the way Leicester started the game.
“Sometimes it can happen. The only important thing right now is that they don’t think too much about that game. They have to stop talking about it and start thinking about the next one, and [think about] not making the same mistakes.”
For more information about LFC World in Hong Kong, click here.