The Reds took an early lead at Crystal Palace through Rickie Lambert but went on to lose their fourth consecutive match and the manager says that confidence is low
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits that he is ultimately responsible for the club’s slump in form this season after another costly Premier League defeat, this time by Crystal Palace.
Last season’s runners-up endured another afternoon to forget at Selhurst Park on Sunday, having thrown away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 on the same ground last season in a result that ultimately proved crucial in the title race.
This time, they could not even escape with a point as goals from Dwight Gayle, Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak overturned Rickie Lambert’s second-minute opener as the game ended 3-1.
It marked a fourth consecutive loss for Rodgers’s side, who find themselves in the bottom half of the table, and the Northern Irishman concedes that they are suffering from a crisis of confidence.
“It was bitterly disappointing,” he told reporters. “It was nowhere near the level that we would expect. We started the game as you would want but I think you saw a team low on confidence.
“We’re not quite together as a team, which is what we pride our work on. We need to find a solution very quickly because it was very disappointing.
“It’s my responsibility as the manager, ultimately. I picked the team and put the team out there and I pick the best team I think can win us the game.
“We made mistakes that you would not expect to see at this level for a team that wants to be challenging. We go 1-0 up and then we fail to manage the game. Overall, there’s that intensity and togetherness that’s not quite there in our game. When you don’t get the results, that is affected.”
Rodgers will have little time to reflect as he bids to mastermind a turnaround. Liverpool face a must-win trip to Ludogorets in the Champions League on Wednesday before returning to Premier League action at home to Stoke City.
Defeat in both games could leave them looking to only the domestic cup competitions for a realistic chance of silverware this term but Rodgers insists that they can still turn around their season.
“We need to find a way because we’ve seen over the last couple of years as we have seen this group develop that they are very talented players,” he added, “but it’s been a new phase this season and we’ve had a lot of games, a lot less preparation time in terms of coaching and injuries that were key for us.
“But we can’t complain. We just have to get on with it and find ways of getting results because that’s what Liverpool is about.”