Liverpool crash again seeing that Fulham plunder Anfield win
Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool's stunning collapse is one of the worst type of spells of his managerial career after Mario Lemina condemned the troubled champions to a shock 1-0 defeat against lowly Fulham on Sunday.
Klopp's side are 4 details adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, who may extend that lead to seven if indeed they beat Everton on Monday.
That would keep Liverpool with a hardcore task to qualify for after that season's Champions League with a top four finish.
They could still make it by winning the Champions League, but glory in Europe's elite club competition is hard to envisage given Liverpool's steep decline.
In an indicator of what lengths they have fallen, actually third-bottom Fulham easily out-enjoyed Liverpool to safeguarded three points at Anfield for the very first time in nine years.
With out a home victory since before Christmas, Liverpool certainly are a pale shadow of the team that romped with their first of all English title for 30 years last season.
They have been destabilised by horrific injury problems in defence, nonetheless it was still jarring to start to see the toothless Reds surrender so tamely once more.
Asked if it had been among his worst periods, Klopp said: "I would desire to say no but yes it is. That isn't a problem. I don't will have to really have the best times.
"This team can be an extreme group. We were extremely good and now we have an extreme situation aswell but we will fight through."
Worryingly for Liverpool fans, Klopp conceded he doesn't have the answers to arrest the slide.
"We never really had a momentum in the season. You can view it's even now in the males. They still own it all but right now can't present it. It might be a masterpiece to determine how we change that overnight," he explained.
"My males wanted it. It's simple to say Fulham have won it therefore wanted it more. I don't believe that's the problem.
"I need not stand here and say we're fighting for this or that."
Klopp insists his stars will stay loyal regardless if Liverpool miss out on a Champions League place.
But on the evidence of their most recent embarrassment, the Reds boss might need to make significant changes to get champions-elect Manchester City next term.
With one eyes on defending their 2-0 lead in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg against Leipzig, Klopp made seven changes and fielded a youthful defence featuring Neco Williams, Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips.
- Impotent Liverpool -
Unsurprisingly, Liverpool showed too little organisation and cohesion at the trunk, with Josh Maja sneaking behind both inexperienced central defenders to scoop his volley over the bar.
Fulham were causing Liverpool's makeshift defence all manner of complications and Maja was narrowly off-focus on from Ademola Lookman's pass.
Diogo Jota manufactured his begin since December after harm and Xherdan Shaqiri was up front because they replaced Sadio Mane and the injured Roberto Firmino.
Shaqiri curled a free-kick just over, but Liverpool were impotent found in strike and Fulham's impressive screen was rewarded in first half stoppage-time.
When Andrew Robertson could simply head clear to the edge of the region, Mohamed Salah was conveniently brushed away the ball by Lemina, who drilled a fine finish into the significantly corner of Alisson Becker's goal.
It had been a sweet moment for the Gabon international after his accidental handball found Maja's equaliser against Tottenham harshly ruled out in midweek.
Salah's half-hearted work was hardly the response Klopp wanted after the Egyptian showed his frustration when he was substituted against Chelsea on Thursday.
Jota's stinging volley from Neco Williams' cross forced an excellent Alphonse Areola conserve early in the next half.
Just after that prospect, a plane flew above Anfield bearing the slogan "Unity is durability. Let's head out Reds. YNWA".
Although Mane came off the bench to loop a header onto the woodwork and Shaqiri went close with a curler, Liverpool rarely appeared as if responding to that call to arms.
