Liverpool FC midfielder Adam Lallana has vowed to avenge last season’s 6-1 defeat to Stoke, admitting that the game is a test of the Reds’ mentality.
When Liverpool FC face Stoke on Sunday, they will still carry the scars of their heaviest defeat in 52 years. 77 days since that 6-1 loss, plenty of things have changed at Anfield.
There have been six new signings, most of which are expected to play a key role this season, especially Christian Benteke. The biggest change is the departure of the legendary Steven Gerrard, with the club now under a new captain a Jordan Henderson.
However, the ghost of that loss still lingers.
“We want to put it right”
Lallana played the full 90 minutes of that game, asked by Rodgers to fill in as a make-shift centre forward. As quoted saying by the Liverpool Echo . , the player reckons that the only thing on his mind is to set the wrong that happened that day, right.
Lallana said: a When the fixtures were released, I just thought ‘typical!’a
a But on a serious note, ita s a good fixture for us to start off with. Ita s fresh in our minds what happened last season and we want to put it right. Ita s a great chance for us to do that.
a Ita s a big test for ourselves psychologically after the result in the last game of the season. It did sit with us over the summer. No-one likes to get beaten, especially 6-1.
a It was an embarrassing result for Liverpool Football Club. We’re a team that shouldna t be losing in that way.
a Luckily enough, wea ve got the opportunity to go and put it right. To be playing Stoke again first game of the season, therea s no better way to get a bit of revenge.a
“I do not know what to say,” Lallana on Stoke defeat
Almost three months on to the fateful day, Lallana still cannot explain what really went wrong on the day in what was Steven Gerrard’s farewell game at Anfield.
Lallana said: a I dona t really know what to say. But these things happen in football.”
a You look back to when City beat United at Old Trafford, 6-1 or whatever that was. Freakish things do happen.
a Ita s one of those things you dona t want to be involved in, but ita s happened and now we move forward. Wea ve had a good pre-season and wea ve got to look to the first game and get a win.a
Lallana would certainly be hoping that he is not put in the same position again to explain how things could possibly go so horribly wrong for the Reds. However, what will be interesting to see is if Liverpool were to go a goal down early on, how the players would react.
Liverpool have won just one of their seven Premier League matches at the Britannia Stadium (D2 L4), winning 5-3 in 2013/14.
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