Enzo Maresca: Leicester City boss proud after 'brave' Liverpool defeat in cup
- Published
Kasey McAteer's goal at Liverpool was his fifth in eight games for Leicester this season
Enzo Maresca says he was proud of the "brave" performance Leicester City produced in their Carabao Cup defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.
Liverpool scored three second-half goals as they fought back to beat the Championship leaders.
It was only Leicester's second defeat of the season in all competitions.
"I'm very proud with the way we came to this stadium, against this opponent and tried to play the way we have played every game," Maresca said.
Both Leicester and Premier League high-flyers Liverpool made changes following their weekend league victories.
England defender Conor Coady made his long-awaited Foxes debut after recovering from an injury sustained early in pre-season.
The 10 changes for Leicester also saw defender Harry Souttar start in his first appearance of the campaign, while Patson Daka came off the bench for his first involvement since the Foxes were relegated last season.
"I'm very pleased for all the players because tonight they are to be proud for the way they played and [for being] brave and showing the way we want to play," Maresca told told BBC Radio Leicester.
Kasey McAteer, the Foxes' leading scorer this season, gave Leicester the ideal start with a coolly taken third-minute goal at the end of an excellent counter attack.
For 45 minutes, the Championship side led at Anfield. But three second-half goals, including a stunning finish from Dominik Szoboszlai to put Liverpool ahead for the first time, sent Liverpool through.
"Every game is a good moment to learn," Maresca said. "When we review this game we are going to see many things.
"A defeat is a defeat in the end, but before the game I told them that our target was to come here and play in the way we play."