Morale on the up at Liverpool

– Simon Mignolet (above) said yesterday Liverpool will go into their Champions League match at home to Maribor tomorrow with their confidence restored thanks to Saturday’s 3- 0 win over Huddersfield Town in the Premier League.

Goals from Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum lifted Juergen Klopp’s team up to sixth, just six days after they suffered a 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Goalkeeper Mignolet admitted morale had been damaged by the result at Wembley and said it was a relief to have bounced back against a Huddersfield team that had defeated Manchester United in their previous league game.

“It’s good for the boys and I think today will give everybody a lift in confidence, which is what we needed after last week,” Mignolet told the club’s website.

“Everybody knew it wasn’t good enough and we had to change and respond in the right manner, and I think we’ve done that.”

Liverpool are level on five points with Spartak Moscow in Group E in the Champions League, just one ahead of third-placed Sevilla.

The Reds thrashed Slovenian minnows Maribor 7-0 in their previous encounter and are expected to dominate once again at Anfield.

Their week will then be completed by a trip to West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday, another match they will start as favourites.

Wijnaldum, however, was reluctant to place unnecessary expectation on the two fi xtures.

“I don’t want to speak about ‘big weeks’ because every week is a big week,” the Dutch midfielder said.

“Every week you have to collect points and win games and deliver, so for me every week is a big week, especially when you play for Liverpool.” –