Jurgen Klopp has welcomed an interlude from the crowded fixture list as Liverpool get a full week to prepare for their next assignment.
Liverpool are vying for honours on both domestic and European fronts, contributing towards a hectic schedule in which three fixtures in the span of eight days has been a common occurrence.
However, their early exit from the Carabao Cup means they will not be in midweek action next week, allowing the players â some of whom undertook long-haul trips during the recent international break â a brief respite.
Arsenal await Liverpool next Saturday and the Reds could travel to the Emirates Stadium as Premier League leaders after brushing aside Cardiff 4-1 to go three points clear of Manchester City, who visit Tottenham on Monday.
Klopp said: âWe won the game and thatâs really good and for us itâs just the next step.
âNow we have time to recover which is the first time for a lot of the boys and they donât play in three days again. Our international players havenât had that since I donât know when, itâs long ago.
âSo we will use the time to recover and prepare for the Arsenal game which will be another nice challenge.â
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring against Cardiff while Sadio Mane struck either side of substitute Xherdan Shaqiriâs first Liverpool goal.
Mane feels Liverpoolâs feared front trio comprising of himself, Salah and Roberto Firmino are only able to flourish because of the support they receive behind them.
The three frontmen continue to terrorise defences, having bagged 57 league goals between them last season.
But Mane told Liverpoolâs official website: âPeople always talk about the front three â but itâs the team, the work starts behind us. They make it easier, we are lucky boys and score all the time but all the team did their job.â
Cardiff briefly threatened when Callum Paterson halved Liverpoolâs lead after 77 minutes with the visitorsâ first shot on goal.
Shaqiri and then Mane made the game safe for Liverpool, who enjoyed 80 per cent possession and had 19 attempts at goal in a dominant display as they continued their unbeaten start in the top-flight this season.
âWe played very well even though it was a little bit tight in the second half after it went to 2-1,â Mane added.
âItâs part of football. But after that we controlled the game and created many chances. At the end we scored four goals so I think we deserved to win.â
Cardiff were brought back down to earth following their first victory of the campaign against Fulham last week and they have now lost seven of their last eight fixtures in all competitions.
However, as well as Liverpool, they have also faced Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham in that period.
Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock said: âItâs good that we can compete, weâre competing the best we can, and weâll surprise a few of the lesser teams but I think the top-four is a bit beyond us.
âItâs been hard for us because (against those teams) it only takes a second and a little bit of quality and it catches you out. I canât fault my players.â
Warnock believes City have the edge on Liverpool in the race for the title this season but praised the Merseysidersâ improvement under Klopp.
âI feel Liverpool have got more of a chance in the Champions League and the cups,â Warnock added.
âI just think Man City have got that little bit more week-in week-out in the league.
âBut I think Liverpool are the most improved team with the signings (Klopp) has made and heaven knows whatâs going to happen if he signs another one or two for next season because they are back in the real big time now.â
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