John Aldridge: 'Stoke City thrashing should motivate Liverpool'

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has claimed that the team's 6-1 defeat to Stoke City should motivate the players over the summer.

The Reds saw their Premier League campaign end in embarrassing fashion at the Britannia Stadium last month as they were brushed aside by the Potters.

Aldridge hopes that the Liverpool squad will be desperate to put that result right when they return to competitive action in August.

"I'd like to think for a lot of the players, that won't go away for a long time," he told the club's official website.

"Pre-season will help but certainly when you get to the first game of next season, that is one game that I could not wait to come along to make amends and put right.

"For Liverpool to get beat 6-1 is unthinkable and if you're part of that side you want to atone as quickly as possible. The fans have got to live on that result for a long time and it really hurts if you've got any feeling for Liverpool Football Club."

Liverpool finished the 2014-15 Premier League campaign in sixth place in the table.