John Barnes won a number of trophies during his 10-year stint at Anfield with Liverpool.

Among the titles that he collected was a 1989 winner's medal from Liverpool's encounter at Wembley with Merseyside rivals Everton in the FA Cup.

As Liverpool prepare to take on Mansfield in the same competition today, Sports Mole met up with the 49-year-old ESPN analyst to talk the job that Brendan Rodgers has done so far, the arrival of Daniel Sturridge and if the FA Cup is important to Liverpool this season.

On Wednesday, Liverpool's victory over Sunderland saw them record back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time. Without getting too carried away, does it show that things are now moving in the right direction on the pitch?
"I'm not one to get carried away because people did and then we lost to Aston Villa and Stoke. What I look at is the potential of the team and knowing that because of the age of the team there is going to be some inconsistent performances. I think it is going to be difficult for Liverpool to be consistent on a regular basis this year because they have so many young players.

"Potentially, this side is good and that's why I'm not willing to write this season off. We've tried buying players for big money and expected them to perform instantly and that hasn't worked. We can't continue to do that. Yes, we are moving in the right direction but I will be more demanding next season."

You mentioned signings there and Daniel Sturridge has just arrived at Anfield. What will he bring to the squad?
"He is a striker and Liverpool needed a striker. Fortunately, he's English, young and hungry because he has point to prove so hopefully he will come with the right mentality. That is all he needs because he's got all the tools - he's quick, strong and has great ability. If he comes with the right attitude, he could be an asset."

Brendan Rodgers recently said that this was Sturridge's last chance to succeed at a big club. Do you agree with that?
"You look at Joe Cole now - he's gone back to West Ham. I'm not being disrespectful to West Ham, but they are not as big a club as Liverpool. Unless you're going to leave Liverpool and go to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United - which is unlikely, the only place to go from Liverpool is down. This probably is his [last chance]. Not in terms of finances because clubs will always pay you money to come. But in terms of wanting to do well at a big club, this is his last opportunity. If he has the right attitude, he can do well."

Is Mansfield away in the FA Cup on Sunday the perfect debut for Sturridge? He could potentially score a couple of goals and settle in early.
"Yes, but it is also a potential banana skin. I don't think I would play him because there will be a lot of pressure and expectation on him to do well because it is Mansfield. If he played and scored, then people will say that he should have done that but if they lost and he didn't play well, that adds pressure."

What sort of team do you expect Rodgers to select for the tie?
"I think Brendan Rodgers will make changes because he saw against West Brom [in the Capital One Cup] that he can trust his young players. They went 1-0 against a Premier League team who were third at the time and showed the right spirit and determination to come back. They played really well and that will let him know that he can make some changes.

"However, West Brom have a nice pitch, play good football and do not kick lumps out of you. Going to Mansfield, it won't be like that all. Just because it went that way at West Brom, it doesn't mean it will at Mansfield. It's probably a more difficult than the West Brom game but I am sure that he will have enough confidence to make those changes.

Is winning the FA Cup something that Liverpool should be aiming for in Rodgers's first season in charge? Or is it all about finishing as high up the league table as possible?
"In the third round you never really think about winning the FA Cup. It's all about the luck of the draw. If you get Man United away, it's going to be difficult. The third round is not the time to be thinking about winning the competition, it's about beating whoever is in front of you. Once you get into the quarter-finals and see who is left in, then you start to think about lifting the trophy. It's great to win a trophy in the first year but the development of Liverpool is much more important than winning a trophy."

You won the FA Cup with Liverpool, as well as the league title. How to the two medals compare in your opinion?
"I lost four as well, so I know what it is like to lose. I think depending on how you win the league – for example Man City last season or Arsenal against Liverpool [in 1989] – that was instantaneous. They went from losing the league to winning it in seconds. That doesn't happen often because a lot of the time you know you've won the league heading into the last game. That individual feeling on the day is different to winning the FA Cup. As a single occasion, apart from the World Cup and maybe the Champions League, I can't think of anything more special to win. You don't get that feeling when winning the league, unless you win it like Man City or Arsenal did."

ESPN will air live and exclusive coverage of three FA Cup Third Round games this weekend. Swansea City v Arsenal at 1pm and Mansfield Town v Liverpool at 3.45pm on Sunday, then Cheltenham v Everton at 7pm on Monday. Visit ESPN.co.uk/tv for details.