Photo: Mamadou Sakho all smiles with Liverpool signing ahead of Exeter tie

Mamadou Sakho and Christian Benteke were all smiles after first-team training less than 24 hours after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United.

The France defender was one of the few Liverpool players to emerge from the north-west derby with any credit after a commanding performance alongside Ivorian Kolo Toure.

Benteke came on in the second half but the £32.5m summer signing was unable to net a late equaliser for the Merseyside outfit as Louis van Gaal secured his fourth successive win over Liverpool.

But Sakho and Benteke appeared to have brushed off the disappointing result as the pair shared a joke on their way home from training at Melwood on Monday.

Liverpool host League Two side Exeter City in their FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield on Wednesday night after a 2-2 draw earlier this month.

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The Reds are in ninth place in the Premier League table and eight points behind Tottenham Hotspur, who occupy the final Champions League spots.