Steven Gerrard

The Reds’ poor start to the season hit a new low on Wednesday evening when they were dumped out of the Carling Cup at home by League Two outfit Northampton on penalties.

The performance was way below what was expected of a side – containing six full internationals at the start – on a rain-soaked night on Merseyside and was the first time Liverpool have ever been beaten by a team from the lowest rung of the English football ladder in Cup competition.

First-team squad players Ryan Babel, Lucas, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Daniel Agger and David Ngog all started the game while they were selected alongside youngsters Danny Wilson, Jay Spearing, Dani Pacheco and Martin Kelly.

However, Roy Hodgson’s side barely deserved to claim a 2-2 draw against the minnows following 120 minutes of football and it was left to club captain Gerrard to try and take the positives out of a shocking night for the club (Liverpool 2/1 – Top 4 Finish).

“They will learn from this experience. Football isn’t just about highs,” he told the club’s website.

“Throughout my career I have experienced both highs and lows and probably learnt more from the lows because you look at yourself first, look at what went wrong and try to learn from your mistakes. The players are allowed to be down today but it’s up to players like myself to pick them back up because playing for this club there are big games every two or three days and we need to get everyone’s head focused on Sunderland now.

“There are still some positives underneath the frustration. Although we’ve gone out and everyone is down and disappointed, the experience that would have given the lads in the dressing room might be vital for the future.”

Gerrard says the players must not dwell on the result and everyone must pull together for the Black Cats clash – a game that is likely to see a completely different line-up chosen by Hodgson.

“The last thing we want now is for people to be sulking with their heads down because there’s a massive game in three days,” he added.

“No-one is hurting more than the players who played. We’ve all been there and all experienced it. Everyone is disappointed and down but it’s not the end of the world. It’s gone now, it’s important we move on and think about Sunderland and try to get the three points.”

“What I would ask all the supporters is to trust the players and what the players are saying. I’ve been reading and listening to what they’ve been saying and they’ve all said we’ll get it right in the end – and we will.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.