Gini Wijnaldum says Liverpool's attempts at tackling the mounting problems they face this season have been all in their head.
The Dutch midfielder is one of the few Reds players who has managed to stay fit during a gruelling campaign which has seen them lose the services of all of the senior central defenders who started the season.
Recent defeats in the Premier League have seen hopes of defending the title they won last season turn into a battle for a top four place, but solace was found in Europe in midweek with an impressive 2-0 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig in Budapest.
Wijnaldum would appear to be in his final year at Anfield after a deadlock was reached on new contract talks, but he isn't letting his future get in the way of trying to turn things around at Anfield.
“It’s really mental,”said Wijnaldum, speaking to the club's website, of Liverpool's approach this season.
“Because before when we played good games, almost every time we won the games in the previous years. So this is something new for us, the situation we are in right now.
“We just have to deal with it, we have to stay confident and have faith we can turn it around. Games like this [Leipzig] help to get the confidence back.
“It’s a difficult situation to be in but also from this situation we will learn and it will help us along the way.”
Despite the 2-0 advantage over Leipzig Wijnaldum knows that the job isn't done yet, and pointed to a famous Liverpool comeback as a reason why they can't rest on their laurels.
“Well, of course we have a big chance to go to the next round,” he said.
“But it’s the Champions League – we showed a few years ago already what can happen even if you are 3-0 down.
“They will think the same: ‘OK, we lost the game 2-0 but we can change it away.’ So what we have to do is be focused and be aware that it can change.”
