Brendan Rodgers says his Liverpool side's excellent start to the season defensively is the product of hard work and focus on the training field.
The Reds are yet to concede a goal three games into the campaign, having visited tough teams like Stoke City and Arsenal already, with the back-four conceding just eights shots on target so far - the third best record in the Premier League.
The Liverpool manager, who has yet to make any changes to his back-four of Nathaniel Clyne, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez, has explained that their solidity at the back has not come naturally however.
Speaking prior to his team's encounter with West Ham United at Anfield, Rodgers said his side have put "extra work and extra focus" on ensuring they ship less goals at the back.
He told reporters that they are conducting extra sessions "in any aspect" of their defensive work, and have put plenty of effort into ensuring their organisation is imperious.
Referring back to last season, when the Reds' defensive recruits failed to shore up a back line which had leaked goals aplenty the year before, Rodgers said the Reds brought in players who they thought "could settle in quickly" but realised they needed to "do more on that front" this time around.
The Northern Irishman insisted that the coaches and backroom staff are "making sure" players are "clear on their role and responsibility" with and without the ball to ensure efficiency at the back.
Liverpool working hard to click going forward
In addition to the Reds' defensive focus and structure, the manager has re-adopted their philosophy of aggressively pressing their opponents to win the ball back high up the pitch.
That, in turn, has helped provide a vital basis for their attacking talents - such as Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino - to make a real impact in the final third without having to worry too much about tracking back and helping out the defence.
Whilst the Reds have yet to rediscover their fluency up-front, they have looked better with each game and Christian Benteke has provided a vital outlet as the lone front man.
And Rodgers is confident that, with the way his side are improving each and every week, they will get back to their best going forward.
Rodgers said that "every game" so far "has been a test" but the entertaining the Hammers may be their most difficult fixture of the four games so far.
Nevertheless, the manager affirmed that, since the Reds are on home soil, they want to keep the aggression they showed against Arsenal in their game - and that the players should only link up together even better as they continue to "understand their roles" and co-operate with each others.
He declared that Liverpool have learned their lesson from last season and that their summer recruits have brought "new motivations and new ambitions" into the club with them, whilst the group is stable and hungry to do well.
Rodgers also stated that, similarly to their defensive improvement, the key to doing well in the final third is down to hard work and in-depth analysis.
He insisted there have been many talks, and lots of work in training and analysing performances, behind the scenes - as they seek to reclaim the mentality that was "certainly missing" in the previous season.
Whilst the new campaign is merely a few weeks old, Rodgers said there is excitement in the Liverpool camp about "what the season will bring" despite how early on it is.