The Reds have lost their last three Champions League outings and have endured torrid form domestically, and defeat in Bulgaria could make qualification virtually impossible

Brendan Rodgers has demanded an improvement from his Liverpool side ahead of a “massive” Champions League clash with Ludogorets.

The Merseyside club suffered a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions when Crystal Palace came from behind to win 3-1 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday.

That latest setback has left Liverpool in 12th position, 10 points down on the tally they had managed this time last season – a campaign that saw them narrowly miss out on the title.

Rodgers has now turned his attention to securing a much-needed victory over Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, who need a win at Vasil Levski National Stadium on Wednesday to stay in the competition.

Liverpool have lost all three Group B matches since beating Ludogorets at Anfield and face a battle to progress with leaders Real Madrid, who have won all four matches.

Both sides have only three points but know a victory would move them level with second-placed Basel, who face Liverpool at Anfield in their final group game, if the Swiss champions lose to European champions Real.

Rodgers took responsibility for the defeat to Palace, but the Northern Irishman wants his side to stand up and be counted in Sofia.

He said: “We just have to work harder. We go away bitterly disappointed with the result and the performance and we have to very quickly put it right, because we’ve got a massive game now in the week.

“Every game now for us, right the way through a really busy schedule, is an important game. We have to be better. We picked a team [on Sunday] that we thought could win the game, and the players who played and the ones on the sidelines are very committed.

“They give me everything every day, but at this moment in time, we’re not good enough and we need to find answers very quickly.

“We’ve been a very close group for a couple of years, but we had to make changes in the summer. We had to bring players in – the group was very thin.”

Rodgers will be hoping to welcome back Jordan Henderson after the England midfielder missed the defeat against Neil Warnock’s side due to illness.

The Liverpool boss has doubts over Mario Balotelli (hamstring), Jose Enrique (knee), and Mamadou Sakho (thigh), while Daniel Sturridge (thigh), Suso (groin) and Jon Flanagan (knee) are definitely out.

Ludogorets head into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw in a top-of-the-table clash with A PFG leaders CSKA Sofia on Saturday, and know only three points will do.

A 4-0 hammering at Basel earlier this month was a major blow to their chances of reaching the last 16, having beaten Paulo Sousa’s men last month.

A draw would end Georgi Dermendzhiev’s side’s Champions League adventure and they will be out of contention to move into the Europa League with a defeat.

The Italian was ready to lure his compatriot to Ligue 1, but eventually opted to sign the Sweden international instead because he was the “safer” option

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he nearly signed Mario Balotelli during his time in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.

Ancelotti was desperate to lure a high-profile attacker to Paris ahead of his second season in charge of PSG and he had earmarked Balotelli as a potential signing.

Nevertheless, he eventually opted against bringing the current Liverpool striker to Parc des Princes when the opportunity arose to sign the “safer” option Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“Would I sign Balotelli? I actually tried to sign him at Paris Saint-Germain,” Ancelotti was quoted as saying by La Repubblica.

“He had just impressed at Euro 2012 with Italy.

“But then the opportunity to sign Ibrahimovic came up. We decided to go for the safer option.”

Balotelli would eventially leave Manchester City for AC Milan, before joining Liverpool ahead of the 2014-15 campaign.

The Italy international has so far struggled to make an impact at Anfield, but Ancelotti is confident he will eventually come good.

“Mario has to find a place to feel at ease. I have no doubt that he will succeed in the end. But it all depends on himself.”

The 24-year-old has netted two goals in 14 games in all competitions so far this season.

The 24-year-old has underwhelmed since joining Liverpool in the summer for £16 million but his representative played down links with a move back to Italy

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli will not be returning to Italy, his agent Mino Raiola has stated.

The Italian joined the Reds for €20 million in the summer but a combination of poor form and Liverpool’s dismal start to the season has seen him linked with a move back to Italy.

Reports have suggested his former side Inter are now in the hunt for the 24-year-old. Roberto Mancini, who coached the forward at Manchester City and had several fallouts with him at that time, has recently taken over at the Nerazzurri, but Raiola insists he isn’t going to pair up with his former manager at San Siro.

“A return to Inter is impossible. Not because of Mancini, but for other reasons which aren’t worth talking about,” Raiola said.

“Even Napoli [is out of the question]. Mario will not return to Italy.”

Balotelli has struggled to adjust to life at Anfield, scoring just twice in 14 games since moving from AC Milan but his representative believes he will rediscover the form that has seen him labelled as one of the brightest prospects in the game.

Raiola added: “He is lacking goals and he doesn’t run well, but this is a time that must pass. He now has this injury and we hope he recovers as soon as possible.

“The relationship with the team? It is perfect, the English journalists must not be part of his life.”