Jurgen Klopp believes “a few nice punches in the face” have been the making of Liverpool's Premier League title challenge.
The Reds will look to go above Manchester City and back to the top of the table with victory at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Klopp's side have lost only one of their 31 top-flight games this campaign and have already accrued more points than the whole of last term.
Liverpool complete signing of Blackburn Rovers keeper
However, the season has not been without setbacks and the Reds boss believes the manner in which his team have responded has helped them keep pace with City.
“If we hadn't had any problems then we might have had a couple more points,” said Klopp. "Perhaps City's season last year was without major problems.
“Not only this season, we've had wonderful moments together but also a few nice punches in the face.
“It is not that we were celebrating the games in Kiev, Basel or wherever. It is not the fact that we lost the games but dealing with it is important.
“Losing games is bulls**t but not using it is not useful. If you lose a game you have to learn from it and go again. That is what we always try to do.
The Liverpool midfielder left in transfer limbo and wanting to leave this summer
“This season we have not lost a lot of games but we try to learn, I think. We have had a lot of difficult moments but the boys have dealt well with them and that is why we are where we are.
“That has allowed us not to feel the pressure. I don't feel the pressure. We just go for it. Let us do it again, again and again. Don't hesitate. That is the plan.”
While Liverpool stand only a point behind City having played the same amount of games, a draw against Tottenham would not be enough to return to the summit.
City's goal difference is eight better than the Reds with Pep Guardiola's side having scored 11 goals more, although they missed an opportunity to further open the gap when only winning 2-0 at doomed Fulham on Saturday.
Klopp, though, is unconcerned at present by the disadvantage.
“I don't tell the boys to go out there and score six,” he said. “It is not an obvious thing you go for because it is disrespectful. You score when you score.
“People may say when we play Huddersfield, for example, we can improve our goal difference but it is case of score the first goal, then the second. That is how the boys are.
“If they are doing the right then they don't stop. That is how it is. You never stop.
“We scored a lot of goals this year but people keep saying it is not the same football as last year. We cannot go for it but we know it is a decisive thing.”
Asked if he might eventually have to change tack for any games, Klopp said: “Hopefully we will not have to.
“Maybe in the last game (against Wolves) we will have to win by three or four goals. If we have to do that in the last match then we will try. The players all think the same.”
