Stewart Downing claims Liverpool's Carling Cup triumph has made the club more determined to achieve further success this season.
Reds winger setting his sights on FA Cup glory and top-four finish
Stewart Downing claims Liverpool's Carling Cup triumph has made the club more determined to achieve further success this season.
The Reds ended their six-year wait for major silverware on Sunday when they edged out Cardiff City on penalties at the end of a dramatic encounter.
That victory has given the current squad a taste of the high life, and they are eager to experience similar joy in the future.
For now, that means continuing in their quest to progress through the FA Cup, with a home tie against Stoke awaiting them in the quarter-finals, and push as hard as possible for a top-four finish in the Premier League, with a crucial clash with Arsenal on Saturday offering them the opportunity to close to within three points of the UEFA Champions League places.
"I think what the win does is makes you more confident and it gives you an incentive to go on and try and win and play in more finals," Downing told the club's
official website.
"We have a great chance even though it will be a tough game against Stoke in the quarter-finals. And we are still going for a Champions League place with fourth position. There is a lot to play for and hopefully we can carry on doing well.
"There was a lot of new players coming into the team, and it should give us a lot of confidence and a chance to build on that. If we add a few more in the summer it will make the squad even stronger and we can push on further."
Pressure
Downing joined Liverpool from Aston Villa last summer in the hope of challenging for major titles and feels, like the club, that he is improving all the time.
He added: "I think I should score more goals. I've been unlucky a few times this season, missed a few chances. I was close on Sunday.
"I just need to keep getting into the position and hopefully with a little more luck I'll get a few more.
"But I am enjoying life here. There is pressure coming to Liverpool, but you have to concentrate on your performances and try and do as best you can.
"I have enjoyed the last few weeks, the team has been doing well, I am doing fine and I want to kick on now until the end of the season. I want to help Liverpool push on."
