Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat paved the way for their current title assault.
Thursday’s clash with Manchester City could see the Reds move 10 points clear of the reigning Premier League champions in the battle for this season’s top spot.
Anfield could finally see a 29-year wait for domestic success with Liverpool currently unbeaten in their opening 20 games of the current campaign.
But Klopp has pinpointed May’s defeat to Real Madrid as a catalyst in his side’s progress ahead of travelling to the Etihad Stadium for the top-of-the-table clash.
He said: “I see the attitude, right mood in games and training.
“There’s nothing that we have to talk about in something going the wrong direction. Resuls and performances give confidence. The boys have the quality.
“As long as we mix up our potential with attitude, it will be quality. That’s what we’ve shown so far and need to go again.
“I think we finally got rid of ‘the backpack’ when we reached the Champions League final.
“Yes, we didn’t win it but 20 teams [18 in the modern era] reached the Champions League final so that was the moment when we did something really special.
“We didn’t win it but the ride there was unbelievable, the journey was unbelievable. Since then it feels different.”