The Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano thinks that the time for talking is over, and the team now needs to go out and show what they can do on the pitch instead.

“The season starts again for us now. Obviously everyone would have liked to have started it in a different way, but we can’t change anything about that,” Mascherano said.

“What we can do is change it from now and into the future – and we will try to start this weekend. Beating Arsenal is a great chance for us and would be a great way to start. It would be a big statement from us for the rest of the season.

“Really, we don’t need to talk too much, we need to prove it on the pitch. We could talk for days and days about what we’ve done before, but this season we have to start doing it again with no excuses.”

“We know Arsenal will be very tough because they’re such a good side. But we’ve also shown we can beat them, we’ve done it before and know we have the players and the team which can do it again,” he said,

“Everyone knows we can beat anyone, we showed that by beating Manchester United at home and playing really well. What we need to do now is prove we can beat another top side.

“When we do get it together we will really beat someone, but we are all in this together. We have to start again and get it right, and when we do, then we have the side to achieve what the fans want.”

“We had Torres back against Fiorentina, Stevie is getting fitter with every game and of course Alberto Aquilani started too. All those things can only be good for us,” he said.

“What we must do now is start winning again and show to people that we are a top side. It is all about confidence, but we all know we’re a better team than we have shown so far.

“Sometimes, when your confidence is low, it makes it difficult to show your real qualities. In football 80 per cent is from the head and the other 20 is about the physical and tactical side.

“We know December is going to be a crucial month for us – and a great time to change everything. If we start winning, the confidence will return.”

The one thing i have noticed over the last week or so is that, despite the midweek defeat by Fiorentina, there is an air of confidence finally coming out from the players in their quotes.

Maybe the tide is changing…..