Lucas delighted to end seven-year wait at Liverpool

Lucas Leiva scored his first goal since 2010 as Liverpool downed Plymouth in Wednesday night’s FA Cup replay and the Brazilian hopes that the floodgates have now opened.

The midfielder’s first-half header, from compatriot Philippe Coutinho’s cross, proved the difference between the two sides at Home Park.

The Reds are still fighting on three fronts this year with an EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Southampton to come, as well as sitting third in the Premier League.

And Leiva is confident that Jurgen Klopp’s side are ready to challenge for silverware come the business end of the season.

“It’s been a long time I don’t score a goal,” he said.

“It was the main thing to help [the team], of course, but I’m delighted because it’s always good to score a goal, especially for me. Hopefully, I get a few more.

Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images

“I think the team is showing a lot of mental strength, we have a lot of young players [and] we are doing well in all the competitions.

“Hopefully we can get to the finals in the two cups and, [in] the Premier League, try to win it because I think we’ve shown that we are capable [of it].

“It’s always hard to say now in January that we are going to win something. We just have to go game by game, enjoy it and do our best.”