Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that he is "optimistic" about his side's future following their 4-0 demolition of Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.
The Reds recorded a resounding victory over one of their expected top-four rivals as goals from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Daniel Sturridge condemned the Gunners to one of their most chastening defeats in recent memory.
Klopp was delighted with the performance and believes that his side are beginning to reap the benefits of having played alongside each other for a significant period of time.
"I'm really optimistic about the future... [but] we know we have to be ready now. But yes, like I've said a few times, we want to build a squad and actually keep the squad and work together. A few things were that good because most of the players have worked together already for a year," he told the club's official website.
"That doesn't mean it always works, but I saw these situations - passing here, passing there, the crosses from the half-space [from] Hendo, Emre [arriving at the] second post area in the box, things like this. That's football, but if you have to tell a player 'look, if we have the ball there, cross it, and if you see him with the ball there, run', that's what we did 500 times.
"But if you have to do it again and again and again, you miss out on other things. If you're longer together, you can rely on movements which you know about, what will happen in different situations. And then [we made] a little add-on with Mo Salah, and Joe [Gomez], for example, today he made an outstanding good performance. What I have to say is that it was a summary of 11 outstanding good performances and with attitude, bringing together, working hard, really hard, then we can play football."
Liverpool will face another of their direct rivals after the international break when they take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Barney Corkhill
