Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has played down talk of kicking off a new era with victory in the Carling Cup final.

Journalists quizzed Dalglish on whether he felt lifting the trophy on Sunday could provide the Reds with a taste for success that would stand them in good stead as they chase further glory in the remainder of 2011-12.

"I don't think that is necessarily true - I think we need to have a winning mentality anyway," he said. "We'll just do what we think is right and continue to try and represent this football club in the best way we possibly can.

"The performances have been pretty consistent, take away two or three. We have said all along they are good players with a good attitude, they represent the club fantastically well and we couldn't have asked much more from them.

"Everybody that played at the weekend was fantastic, and we said that after the game. The harder you work, the luckier and the better you'll get. Everybody that has been involved this season has worked really hard.

"You get the rewards if you work hard."