Steven Gerrard was proud of his players after Aston Villa gave title challengers Liverpool an uncomfortable night at Villa Park.
The head coach watched on as Douglas Luiz got the hosts off to a perfect start after just three minutes.
Joel Matip quickly brought the Reds level before Sadio Mane’s header snatched the win in the second half.
Gerrard was heartened by what he saw from his side.
He said: “They gave me everything and more.
“I’m super proud of the team tonight, in terms of the fight, heart and desire. They made the supporters proud with what they gave to the game but unfortunately, we’re on the wrong side of the result.
“We had big moments in the game to score more than one goal; we created a lot of great chances against a really good team.
“Unfortunately we’ve conceded two poor goals against a top side and had moments that have gone against us, and we need to improve in those situations.”
A boisterous home crowd helped push their team on throughout a pulsating contest that saw Villa create several great chances.
Gerrard appreciated the impact of a packed Villa Park and hopes the match sets the tone for future games in B6.
He said: “The fans turned up tonight; they were behind us from the first whistle to the end and they were a big help to the players.
“This was a really tough game for us but a great one to be involved in. What the players gave, in terms of the game plan, the effort, the work in and out of possession, and the chance creation against top players, there are a lot of positives to take.”
Gerrard added: “We made one of the best teams in the world work extremely hard; we made Villa Park a tough place to come – that’s the way it’s got to be moving forward.”
