Jurgen Klopp reflected on a "very positive" performance from Liverpool as they not only reached the last eight of the EFL Cup but also entertained a record Anfield crowd during the 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Daniel Sturridge scored twice to see the hosts past their Premier League opponents in front of 53,051 - the biggest attendance for a League Cup fixture at the famous ground.
"Parts of the game were what I expected in a positive way. Parts of the game I could have imagined sometimes too," he told Sky Sports.
"We lost a bit of concentration in one or two moments in the game. We caused problems for ourselves with late passing, but the overall summary is very positive.
"We deserved the win, [we] created a big number of chances and [came up against] a wonderful goalkeeper from Tottenham. It was entertaining.
"We created a wonderful atmosphere. No one could leave early because it was not decided."
"They were really good," the German added.
"They can play better, but with all the pressure around and completely new circumstances, it was really, really good."
Stand-in captain Lucas Leiva agreed with his manager, insisting the club's rising stars will only benefit from getting first-team experience against such high-quality opposition.
"It was very good for them to have this experience. They will develop," he told Sky Sports.
"The manager showed the trust he has in this squad and I think it was the right decision at the end."
