Jurgen Klopp conceded Liverpool's 4-1 humbling at the hands of Napoli in the Champions League was their worst game since he took charge in 2015.
Liverpool were comprehensively beaten by the Serie A side in their opening game in Group A, the heaviest defeat by a Premier League side in their first game of a Champions League campaign since Arsenal lost 3-0 to Inter in 2003-04.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of their second group game at home to Ajax, Klopp did not hold back in his assessment of the "horror show" at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
After Premier League games were postponed following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Klopp also said his team would rather have played this weekend but "respected" the decision not to.
"Yes, we would have wanted to play," he said. "But for the reasons we all know it didn't happen and, of course, we respect that.
"Now we try to use the time for analysis and training, which made absolute sense after the game we played at Napoli.
"I have lots of thoughts [on the Napoli game]. I watched the game back plenty of times and it was a real horror show, to be honest.
"It was the worst game we played since I'm here. We've had a few bad games, I know that. Everyone remembers Aston Villa [7-2 loss in 2020-21] and some others where we were just not up to speed, but there were always glimpses in these games. In this particular game, [there was] nothing.
"You have to understand why that happens, it's not a common thing, that's more an individual thing. Eight out of 11 [players] were absolutely below their level, three others were not on top level, just [played] a normal game.
"In football it's like this, you sort all individual problems as a team, and that's the first thing we have to do, to follow a common idea again.
"Everything we did since I'm here and everything teams do in football is based on really solid, if not perfect, defending. That's what we had to work on, and that's what we did."
Liverpool have made an uninspiring start to the season, drawing three and losing one of their six Premier League games so far, and Klopp revealed there have been some home truths within the camp following the performance in Naples.
"I know that the players want to sort the situation, we are not over the moon about our season so far," he added.
"In the end we all agreed that we could have conceded more goals in [the Napoli] game. We could have scored one or two more as well, but we could have conceded more, which is really crazy.
"We had absolute truth - didn't hide anything, we didn't hold back anything, there was no need for that... but not to knock the players down, just to make sure where we are now after this game, this is the starting point for us and now we have to make sure we sort the problems together on the pitch."
Klopp confirmed that midfield duo Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – who were both left out of the Champions League squad – will not return from their respective injuries until October, despite the former being called up to the Guinea squad for the upcoming international break.
"No, I don't expect [Keita] to go on international duty," he said. "The return date is sometime in October, that's why we had to make the decision, with Ox it's the same, and that's why the two boys are not in the Champions League squad."
The Reds boss will also be without Andrew Robertson for the clash with Ajax, confirming the Scotland captain suffered an injury near the end of the Napoli defeat.
"Robbo is not 100 per cent," he said. "Very late, 93rd minute, he actually felt it the next day only, but he's out. I would say at least until after the international break."
Title-chasing PSG ready for tough game at Lorient, says boss Luis Enrique
Paris Saint-Germain could secure their third straight Ligue 1 title if they defeat Lorient and Monaco fail to beat Lille – but Luis Enrique is not expecting his struggling opponents to hand them any favours.
If Monaco draw or lose against Lille on Wednesday and PSG win away at 17th-placed Lorient, the Parisians would clinch their record 12th league title.
Luis Enrique's side have an 11-point lead over second-placed Monaco with five matches remaining, and a far superior goal difference having lost just one game.
"It's going to be a very difficult game," Enrique told reporters on Tuesday. "When you're at the bottom of the table, you don't have much to lose.
"Generally, teams at the bottom of the table manage to get unexpected results at the end of the season.
"There's a lot at stake. The possibility of being crowned champions is enough to make you pay attention."
The former Barcelona boss, who moved to the French capital last July, is chasing a possible quadruple after PSG booked a Champions League semi-final berth and a spot in the Coupe de France final. PSG secured the Trophee des Champions title in January.
"It motivates us but for the moment, we only have one title, we have to win the league and keep fighting to win it all. It's a long and winding road ahead," Luis Enrique said.
Luis Enrique once again declined to comment on the future of Kylian Mbappe, Ligue 1's highest scorer for the last five seasons.
France captain Mbappe, 25, has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
PSG, formed in 1970 via the merger of Paris Football Club and Stade Saint-Germain, have won nine of the last 11 Ligue 1 titles.
Mbappe's frustration lies with their performances in the Champions League, however, a trophy they have never lifted despite huge amounts of investment in the squad.
"When Kylian speaks in public, I'll do the same," Luis Enrique said.
Grant McCann hails ‘outstanding’ response as Doncaster close on play-off spot
Grant McCann was a proud man after Doncaster won 4-1 at Colchester to register a 10th straight victory and move into the play-off places.
Colchester took a ninth-minute lead through Jayden Fevrier, who converted Tom Hopper’s cross at the far post, but remain in relegation danger after Rovers’ emphatic comeback.
Luke Molyneux equalised after collecting Jamie Sterry’s short free-kick and scoring with a low 25-yard shot and Doncaster took a 22nd-minute lead through Harrison Biggins, who netted from close range from Molyneux’s delivery.
Tom Anderson netted a third in the 76th minute at the near post from Hakeeb Adelakun’s pass, and Joe Ironside sealed victory when he converted after Sam Hornby had tipped James Maxwell’s shot onto a post.
A point on the final day against Gillingham will seal a play-off spot regardless of results elsewhere and McCann said: “I’m really proud.
“Obviously conceding early wasn’t ideal for us but the response was outstanding.
“We scored two very good goals, the first one from Mols (Molyneux) and the second one was another very good goal and something we knew could help us in the game, Biggo’s (Biggins) runs from the centre circle in between the posts after good play by Mols.
“In the first half, we were a little bit edgy and it was a little bit even Steven in the game.
“But in the second half, we were really comfortable and scored another couple of really good goals.
“We always play for more goals; we never sit tight and take what we’ve got – that’s just the way we like to go about things.
“We came up against a team that’s obviously down the wrong end of the table and we knew it was going to be tough.”
Fevrier had Colchester on track to secure survival but they go into Saturday’s final game just three points above the drop zone, with their goal difference superior by four over Sutton.
Colchester boss Danny Cowley said: “It was a tough night for us.
“We have the ability to self-harm, to self-destruct, in a game where we let four terrible goals in.
“For 75 minutes, it was 2-1 and they’ve had three shots at goal, two from 30 yards, and somehow they’re winning the game.
“We were 2-1 down at half-time where we felt we shouldn’t have been, as we’d done a lot right.
“We were in total ascendency and they don’t even want to score any more goals, they want to hang onto what they’ve got and we gift them another two goals.
“I’ve just looked back at the goals and they’re very hard to defend.
“We actually played well box to box but you can’t say you’ve played well when we’ve conceded the goals that we have.
“It’s a damaging night and I’m really angry. We just did the basics so poorly.”
Barrow must stick together in quest to secure play-off spot – Pete Wild
Barrow boss Pete Wild stressed his side must stick together to secure a League Two play-off spot on the final day of the season.
The Bluebirds suffered a fifth defeat in a painful six-game winless run with a last-gasp 2-1 loss to Bradford.
It means they have to get a result when they host promoted Mansfield on Saturday.
Bobby Pointon opened the scoring with a great strike in the first half before Kian Spence levelled with a free-kick after the break.
But former on-loan Barrow forward Tyler Smith came off the bench to score a bruising stoppage-time winner against his old club.
And Wild said: “We didn’t do anything with or without the ball. We were frustrated at half-time. I told them ‘we’ve got to have a go and try to get over the line’.
“We played really well second half, had a go, came out fighting and got the goal, but it wasn’t enough.
“We were on the front foot. We kept trying to throw subs on to put impetus into the game and you get hit by a sucker punch at the end.
“We had four chances to clear the ball and that’s been the month hasn’t it. There have been key moments in game, chances and opportunities with the football and we’ve not done that.
“We weren’t getting a glove on them and we had to try and be braver, second half.
“I will never make it about them, it’s about us. We’re all a collective. We will win together and lose together and that’s how we’ve gone through the season.
“What we have to do now is just stick together and try to keep going.
“Across the last four games you have seen glimpses of us, but not enough of us across a full 90 minutes to get over the line.”
The Bantams were indebted to Sheffield-born Smith’s late winner for their fourth-straight win.
Boss Graham Alexander said: “I’m pleased that the players have once again showed character and personality to once again get a win from a game we should never have been drawing anyway.
“We were brilliant in the first half and should have been two or three up. But we weren’t and a good team like Barrow are going to come back into it and have a spell of pressure and momentum.
“Ultimately they got a goal from it. From our perspective it’s a poor one to concede going through the wall.
“Our performance became a bit flat after that. They had real quality and gained chances.
“The subs that came on halted their momentum.
“They were going for it as well and it was going to be (down to) who had that quality to score.
“To be fair to Tyler, he would have been under massive pressure in his own head, but he stuck it in the corner so fair play to him.”
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