Sunday 2 November 2014 17:15, UK
Jordan Henderson has told his Liverpool team-mates to put their recent performances behind them ahead of two crucial fixtures.
Brendan Rodgers' men lost 1-0 to Newcastle at St James' Park as their lack of cutting edge without the departed Luis Suarez and the injured Daniel Sturridge was apparent once again.
They were also held 0-0 at home by Hull the previous weekend but saw off 10-man Swansea 2-1 at Anfield to reach the Capital One Cup quarter-final.
Looming on the horizon is a Champions League trip to Real Madrid on Tuesday evening ahead of Saturday's visit of Premier League leaders Chelsea to Anfield.
Henderson told the club's official website: "They are two big games, two games to show that we can score goals and defend better.
"We'll look forward to that still. We'll work hard during the week and put in two good performances, hopefully, against two top teams."
Henderson, as a former Sunderland midfielder, found defeat in the north-east hard to take.
He added: "It was very disappointing. We came here for confidence and to get a result and we didn't manage to do that, so we're very disappointed.
"Throughout the game, I thought we dominated the ball but we didn't really get in behind them or create many chances.
"We had one or two through Philippe Coutinho and Martin Skrtel from the corner, but overall, we're disappointed not to get something out of the game.
"I felt as though we started the game well and we quietened the crowd down, kept the ball. But the ball wasn't the problem - we were dominating the game through possession, but it was just getting into that final third and creating an opening.
"We struggled with that, so we'll have to improve on that and kick on for the next game."
The Reds' next game - Real at the Bernabeu Stadium - could hardly be any more difficult with the Spaniards having won 3-0 on Merseyside on October 22.
However, England international Henderson insisted that the trip to Spain and a positive result at the home of the European champions would be a collective responsibility.
He said: "It's down to the whole team, especially the midfielders and the attackers, to make runs in behind and create lots of options and movement and combination play as well.
"I just thought we didn't do as well as we know we can, so we'll have to improve."
