Two weeks is a long time in football.
Liverpool head into the weekend with a two-point difference at the top of the table ahead of their Premier League away trip to Manchester United.
A Europa League quarter-final against Atalanta and a semi-final against either Marseille or Benfica looked good on paper.
It marked Liverpool's treble, marking Jurgen Klopp's final season on Merseyside.
Fast forward 12 days and they are third in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Manchester City. Draw at Old Trafford and lost to crystal palaceand then left Europe Lost 3-1 on aggregate Belongs to Italian side Atalanta.
Liverpool have clinched the Carabao Cup this season and now all they need to do is add a second Premier League title to Klopp's side before they bid farewell on May 19.
“That's weighing on them. You can see the team playing under stress,” former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison told TNT Sports.
“They are a team under pressure. They are ending the season because of Jurgen Klopp's departure.”
During Klopp's announcement Scheduled to depart on January 26th And in their recent slump, Liverpool won the Carabao Cup and took 22 of the 27 points available in the Premier League, but were eliminated from the FA Cup.
Former Reds striker Peter Crouch said: “It's been a difficult week for them. We'll take a positive away win in a difficult venue, but we're a bit concerned at the moment.”
“If you keep missing out on great opportunities, you will pay the price.”
Mohamed Salah's seventh-minute penalty gave them hope for a comeback. 3-0 loss in the first leg against Atalanta He also competed in Italy, but was unable to capitalize and build momentum.
They had only two shots in the second half and have not scored from open play in 360 minutes of official games.
“I don't think they had an answer to Atalanta's defensive plan,” Crouch said. “I don't think they had enough faith and not enough creativity. It was disappointing.”
Klopp's side were guilty of missed opportunities in both games, having had 15 shots in the first half in the draw against Manchester United, and 26 against Palace at the weekend.
Asked if the current dry spell was a concern, former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister said: “Of course it is, but they are creating chances and if they keep missing out on good chances they will pay the price. That's what happened recently.”
“We need everyone for the final push.”
Liverpool play Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday before traveling to Everton and West Ham over the next nine days.
The first two of these games will take place before Manchester City play in the Premier League again, so Liverpool could have opened up a four-goal lead to put pressure on them.
“We have to focus on the league and that is exactly what we will do from now on,” Klopp told TNT Sports. “We throw ourselves fully into it.”
Captain Virgil van Dijk added: “We have been through difficult times together, so showing maturity and solidarity will be key to this challenge.”
“We need everyone right now for the last push in the league. I hope the fans will come, because right now we need them more than ever because we still have the potential to do anything.”
According to Opta, Liverpool have a 12% chance of winning the Premier League, while Gracenote euro club index The probability is ranked as 10%.
“They've been to essentially six cup finals,” McAllister said.
“There's no time to delay. The senior players have to rally the whole team and say, 'We've got six games left.'
Hutchison added: “They have to be perfect. City are in control, they look almost perfect themselves and you know they can win every game.” Ta.
“The game at Fulham at the weekend is not a game that will give them confidence.” [Liverpool] We can win with the way we play at the moment and the way we miss our chances. ”