Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool’s mid-season break has not disrupted their rhythm.
The Premier League leaders endured a difficult evening against West Ham in their third outing since returning from a sanctioned scheduling period off.
Jurgen Klopp’s side rallied to a 3-2 win over the Hammers, which came on the back of a tough trip to Norwich and a Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid.
But Van Dijk has dismissed suggestions that the time away is having a knock-on impact for the Reds as they now stand four wins from clinching the title.
He said: “I think we should take advantage of the break we had.
“Everyone had their time off, we all enjoyed it and we are all ready for the second part of the season.
“If you are looking for negatives then so be it but we want to win games, we know it is going to be tough every game.
“Obviously the goal they scored was their only opportunity, not even a real opportunity, but it is a goal they scored, give them a big boost.
“And if it stays 1-0 or 2-0, there is nothing to be said. We will just keep going and stay positive and not get nervous. That is the main thing.”
Despite their defeat, West Ham held the distinction of becoming only a handful of teams to breach Liverpool’s backline more than once this season.
Van Dijk concedes that both goals his side shipped on Monday were preventable but also remains realistic about the task ahead in their run-in.
“We can’t keep clean sheets every night,” admitted the Dutchman.
“The first was a set-piece, we should look at it but they are good at set-pieces.
“They have two fantastic guys who deliver the ball wherever they want and unlucky Ali couldn’t save us there and the second goal I should maybe have got a bit tighter.
“It was a good cross but at the end of the day it is about getting the result.
“We all want the clean sheet, we all want eight goals, that is what every footballer wants but in reality sometimes you have difficult nights.
“We had a difficult night but we kept our cool and that is the main thing.”