Jamie Carragher has cast a concerned eye over Liverpool’s slump, with Jurgen Klopp’s side accused of transforming from “mentality monsters” into “mentality midgets”.
The Reds hit a new low when suffering a 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Fulham – their sixth straight loss at Anfield.
A top-four finish may now prove beyond them, with Carragher admitting a once dominant force in the English game has become a shadow of its former self.
What has been said?
Reds legend Carragher told Sky Sports: “So often at these stages last season, Liverpool scored late goals, even the year before when they were chasing down Man City. That man [Klopp] rightly called his side the mentality monsters and they deserved that tag, but right now, they are like mentality midgets.
“Every time there is a bit of adversity, you go behind in a game, his team is just not dealing well with adversity at any stage in this last three or four months.
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“It's not acceptable from Liverpool, that sort of performance, and I'll tell you what, I played in some really poor Liverpool teams.
“These defeats, at home, against the level of opposition, you need to find something from somewhere. It looks like top four positions now are a long way off.”
Where are Liverpool in the Premier League?
The Reds have slipped to eighth in the top-flight table, four points adrift of the top four but with at least one more fixture played than any of the four teams sat directly above them.
Those immediately below also boast games in hand, with it possible that Aston Villa could rise above them and Arsenal can move to within touching distance of doing the same.
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Reflecting on a humbling fall from grace, Liverpool icon Graeme Souness said: “When you're a player and you win a big trophy, that's parked. Enjoy it for a week. Then every day you're laying on a beach you think about the challenges coming ahead.
“I'd say some of those players haven't done that. 'Let's enjoy the moment, it may never happen to us again.' It's all about winning it again, and again, and again.
“It's unfathomable. It beggars belief how a team can go from so good to so average. It's ok asking questions about the manager but it's about the players.
“Jurgen Klopp has found out in this moment in time what he's got in his dressing room. Some of them haven't stood up to the challenge.”