Head coach Steve Cooper will tell his Nottingham Forest players to believe in their own ability when they face their toughest test so far.
Cooper is well aware of the challenge Liverpool will pose when they make the trip to the City Ground for a tasty-looking FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp’s men have lost only three times all season.
But The Reds have already seen off Arsenal and Leicester City, as well as Huddersfield Town, in the competition. And the Welshman says his team have to back themselves in their bid to pull off what would be a stunning result.
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“Every day I’m asking the players to be the best versions of themselves and to be winners, to give their best, to train and play in a way we want to play, and behave the way we want to behave,” Cooper said. “We can’t change that going into this game.
“What we do have to do is understand that it is a little bit different because of the level of the opponent, and have an idea of how the game may go. But we’ve still got to aim to have success in the game, because otherwise why should the players believe anything I say.
“We’ll still very much be focusing on what we do and how we play. And we have to back ourselves, more than anything, while knowing a lot of things will have to go well and a lot of things will have to align for us to get success in the game. But we’ve got to aim for it.
“It doesn’t get any tougher than Sunday, but we’ve still got to go out there and play, and we’ve still got to back ourselves. If we don’t back ourselves, then why should anyone else. We’re really looking forward to the game.
“You have to really believe in yourself and approach it with a glass half full about how you can succeed in the game. Of course we will have a plan of what we think it takes to do well in the game. If some of that ends up being the right plan, then great.
"At the same time, players need to make the right decisions on the pitch and support each other. If you do that and have a bit of luck, then why can’t we do well?”
