Klopp criticism egged us on, says Liverpool's Allen

(Reuters) - Liverpool's victory over Stoke City in the Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday was a result of manager Juergen Klopp's frank criticism of his players, midfielder Joe Allen has said. The Reds were outplayed in their last Premier League encounter against West Ham United at Upton Park, prompting Klopp to remark that his side did not give 100 percent in the game. "We knew we needed to respond at Stoke with a good performance first and foremost, with a performance that was full of commitment and desire, and we certainly got that," Allen told the British media. "There’s been a couple of disappointing results recently and the work’s on now for us to get consistent and turn it around." The Welsh midfielder, who was signed for 15 million pounds from Swansea City after Brendan Rodgers took over at Anfield in 2012, faces an uncertain future at the club after contract talks stalled following the Northern Irishman's dismissal. "That’s gone very quiet. I'm not too sure really," said Allen, who has less than 18 months remaining on his current deal. "I've only made one league start this season, so I want to play more. I think that’s obvious for any player in that situation." Liverpool host table-toppers Arsenal in their next Premier League game on Wednesday. (Reporting by Arnab Paul in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)