BRENDAN RODGERS INSISTS Liverpool will be doing all they can to reach the FA Cup final after narrowly missing out on an appearance at Wembley in the League Cup.
The Merseyside outfit are preparing to face Bolton in an FA Cup fourth-round replay at the Macron Stadium tonight — a week on from their painful 2-1 aggregate reverse to Chelsea in the League Cup semi-finals.
That defeat represents Liverpool’s only loss in 12 matches in all competitions and Rodgers is backing his players to make a charge towards the FA Cup final.
“Obviously after that game [against Chelsea], there’s a feeling that maybe it would disrupt or provoke a negative reaction to our season,” Rodgers told reporters. “But if anything, it’s only promoted the development and the momentum that we have. Of course we wanted to get through to the final. But the performance level over the two games and leading into those games has given us great encouragement that our best football is yet to come.”
Rodgers, who has helped to reverse Liverpool’s form this term despite the 0-0 draw at home to Bolton on January 24, added: “There are still good teams in it [the FA Cup]. As I said, it only counts if we get through ourselves. “So for us it’s looking at the Bolton game and it being a tough game but for sure you get through each game and it optimises your chances of getting through to the final.
“We’re in two competitions now [the FA Cup and the Europa League]. Two cup competitions and we want to go as far as we possibly can in them. “That will be reflective in our teams and in our drive and desire to get through in the competition.”
