Conor Hourihane wants Barnsley to take elements of their performance at Liverpool on Monday into their upcoming League One matches but they will have to do it without Josh Earl who has cracked a bone in his foot.

The Reds impressed in the FA Cup third round game in a 5-3-2 formation, despite conceding two late goals when tired against the Premier League champions who won 4-1.

They have kept the fewest clean sheets in the EFL this season with two.

Hourihane told the Chronicle: “I think we obviously had a different approach in terms of the way we set up. We had to put a game plan in place to try and keep us in the game for as long as possible and one of the things that we've probably struggled with this year is obviously the goals that we concede. “But I've seen now against a top team that the lads can do it. “They can defend their box, they can block shots, they can head it clear, they can defend set plays. “We need to take that into the league now. “So I've seen it firsthand here at a big environment with top class footballers and we need to take that kind of mentality into the league as well, particularly defending our box because if we get that side right, I think we will pick up points.”

Defender Earl broke a metatarsal bone in training on Friday. Hourihane said: “It's a bit of a freak one for Josh and really disappointing. “He did press on Friday expecting to play the game – Liverpool fan, big occasion for him, and just got a freak injury in training. “He planted his foot just like you'd plant it millions of times and he's ended up cracking a bone in his foot. “So really, really disappointing for him, for the squad, for me because he's a big player for us and you get one of those freak injuries once a season. “Unfortunately for him, it was him on Friday.”