Andy Welsh refused to be downbeat following Sunderland under-23s defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
Two second-half goals from Danny Ings put the Reds in full control of the Premier League 2 fixture before Trent Alexander-Arnold rammed the ball home from a tight angle to seal victory in the closing stages.
The defeat leaves Sunderland without a win in their last two matches after an impressive start to their league campaign, and speaking post-match Welsh admitted it was a challenging game for his players.
“Liverpool were physically very strong, technically very good and they had some quality about them,” he said.
“I thought we managed the game very well in the first half and kept ourselves in it which was important.
“They lifted the tempo a little bit in the second period and when you have a Premier League striker like Ings in your team they were always going to be dangerous.
“It was an uphill battle from there and while we tried to get back into the game we conceded a third - it was a difficult day for us but a great development experience for the lads.
“They had quite a bit of possession but never really broke us down which was pleasing to see,” he continued.
“We didn’t pass the ball as well as we could and didn’t look after it enough in advanced areas to build the attacks as we have done in the past so it gives us plenty to think about and work on.”
