Liverpool players have urged supporters to be patient after back-to-back defeats, with Curtis Jones insisting it would be “mad” to think they can win every match this season.
The Reds tasted their first defeat of the campaign last weekend as they were deservedly beaten 2–1 by Crystal Palace and they followed up their Selhurst Park disappointment with an equally underwhelming 1–0 Champions League loss at Galatasaray on Tuesday night.
Liverpool had been fortunate to secure seven successive wins at the start of the season but their luck has run out over the past two outings. They have been thoroughly outplayed in defeat, with their defensive vulnerabilities mercilessly exploited.
Fans have been understandably concerned about the performances of the reigning Premier League champions, but Liverpool players have asked for patience following several disappointing displays.
“It’s just part of the game,” said Reds midfielder Jones after the defeat in Istanbul. “I say it all the time, you must be mad if you think you can win every game.
“You’d obviously like to, but the reality is these teams you play are world-class teams and it’s normal if you lose. It’s just how you bounce back. It’s part of it—it’s not fine that we lose but we just have to stay calm and it will all change. Of course it will.”
Virgil van Dijk was similarly defiant in his response to European heartbreak, claiming there is no need to “panic” despite Liverpool’s sub-par performances of late.
“I think we have showed it [our title-winning form] already in many games this season but we haven’t shown it for the full 90 minutes yet unfortunately,” confessed the Liverpool skipper. “It is absolutely normal and nowadays you don’t get the time from the outside world so you have to be strong mentally.
“I am very confident. We have to keep working and sticking together. We had a good start this year in terms of points tally. There shouldn’t be panic, but improvement is needed.”
Things don’t get much easier for Liverpool this weekend as they seek a response, with the Reds travelling to Chelsea in the Premier League in their final outing before the October international break.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Mad’—Liverpool Players Unite in Message to Fans After Successive Defeats.
