Jurgen Klopp acknowledged "something is not right" with Liverpool's performances after they laboured to a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Reds endured a frustrating outing in a drab encounter at Selhurst Park, missing the chance to record three Premier League wins in a row for just the second time this term.
Both Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah hit the woodwork for the visitors, who were without Darwin Nunez for the trip to London, which came on the heels of a 5-2 Champions League loss to Real Madrid.
Despite dropping points once again, Klopp focused on taking a result back to Anfield, though he remains troubled by his side's hit-and-miss form.
"I liked the start to the game," he told Sky Sports. "The dynamic was good, the passes were good. In the end, because we didn't threaten them in behind enough, we had to play in between the lines.
"They had no shots on target. I think we had three or four. We hit the crossbar. Usually, we score one or two [of] the chances we had. We didn't do that tonight.
"I think we killed the atmosphere with the way we played. When football is predictable, it means it's easier to defend. You feel something is not right.
"But it's an away point and it's okay. It's not brilliant, but it's okay."
Having thrown away a two-goal lead against Madrid in midweek, questions of a European hangover could have been levelled at Liverpool following their performance at Palace, but Klopp argued his side did not suffer from their continental exploits.
"I didn't see a massive influence [from the Real Madrid game]," he added. "If we score, we go home and win 1-0."
Midfielder James Milner echoed his manager's comments and stressed Liverpool's destiny remains firmly of their own making this term.
"We have to keep going," he said. "We're our harshest critics. It's important we don't listen to the noise outside.
"It's down to us. We're the only ones who can change it. We've fallen short this year. We have to dig down."
Rico Lewis is one of best players I have ever coached – Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola hailed Rico Lewis as one of the best players he has ever coached after his starring role in Manchester City’s hard-fought win at RB Leipzig.
The 18-year-old produced a commanding display as the holders maintained the winning start to their Champions League defence with a 3-1 success at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday.
Lewis, who made his first-team breakthrough as a right-back last season, had a hand in Phil Foden’s opening goal and proved City’s main driving force throughout.
City manager Guardiola, the former Barcelona boss whose past players have included Lionel Messi, said: “What a player! What a player!
“I’ve been a manager for 14, 15, years and lucky to train one of the best players in the world in Barcelona.
“To find a player like him playing in the pockets, how he has to move as a holding midfielder, moving in the spaces, he is one of the best I’ve ever trained by far.
“He’s a humble guy, doesn’t talk much. He didn’t play much this season but he is going to play a lot.”
Despite Lewis’ contributions, it took the introduction of substitutes Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku to secure a hard-fought victory.
City controlled the first half and led at the break through Foden’s 25th-minute strike but they were pegged back after the restart by Lois Openda.
The second half was a frustrating affair with Erling Haaland missing several chances and Foden hitting the bar but Alvarez made the breakthrough with a stunning effort on 84 minutes.
Doku wrapped up a second successive win in Group G in injury time.
After back-to-back defeats domestically, Guardiola was pleased to get back to winning ways.
He said: “Three or four days ago it was no progress because we lost in Wolves. It was important to break that.
“We played a fantastic game in all departments. We conceded two or three transitions in the second half but it’s normal. When a team is able to make a lot of passes early on, very nice things are going to happen in the game.
“The guys who came from the bench, the contribution they have done is the key point. Everyone helped each other. I am really satisfied. It was a tough game.”
Leipzig coach Marco Rose was pleased with the effort of his side but had no complaints about the result.
Rose said: “Manchester City deserved to win, even if it was 1-1 in the 83rd minute and we had hoped to hold on until the end.
“We did well after the break and got our equaliser. It was then an open game then but City put us under pressure at the death again. We are learning from the best.”
Tony Mowbray insists in-form Sunderland ‘have to keep going’
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has challenged his players to keep their impressive run going after a 2-0 win over Watford kept them fourth in the Championship.
Full-back Niall Huggins’ thunderous first goal of his professional career put the Black Cats on course for three points two minutes before half-time.
Abdoullah Ba’s back-post header in the 62nd minute effectively sealed the points before the Hornets had substitute Ryan Andrews sent off for a reckless tackle on Jack Clarke late on.
It was Sunderland’s sixth win in eight matches, leaving them six points off the top two ahead of Saturday’s meeting with neighbours Middlesbrough.
Mowbray said: “I’m delighted for Niall. He has had a tough time in the year or so I’ve been here with injury. Yet he’s had really high moments too.
“We did huff and puff for 45 minutes but we got the job done. I thought the centre-backs were amazing tonight. I’m pleased with them all, we have goals all over the pitch.
“We have to keep going. We kept a clean sheet and got three points.
“The moment normally comes from Jack Clarke or Patrick Roberts, and yet Niall comes up with an amazing goal.
“We preserved what we were doing. Sitting here now with 2-0 feels good. It was a dangerous game.
“I’m not sure Watford’s results warrant the talent they have. I am just pleased we have three points and move on to the next one.”
Brendan Rodgers ‘bitterly disappointed’ as Celtic lose to Lazio after late drama
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admitted their last-gasp 2-1 defeat by Lazio was a “devastating” blow after he felt they deserved to be in front.
Luis Palma thought he had given the Scottish champions an 81st-minute lead but it was ruled offside by a lengthy VAR check when the officials decided Daizen Maeda had helped on Alistair Johnston’s cross.
There was a bigger blow to follow five minutes into stoppage-time when Pedro robbed Cameron Carter-Vickers before spraying the ball out wide and running into the box to head home the resulting cross.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s early opener had been cancelled out by Matias Vecino following a 29th-minute corner.
Rodgers said: “I’m bitterly disappointed. I felt we totally deserved to take something from the game.
“We had a great start and scored a great goal. I’m disappointed with the goal we conceded, I felt we could do better with the corner.
“We were getting through them and it looked like a matter of time before we could score. We got a goal but unfortunately Daizen just got a touch on it and made it offside.
“I felt at that point we deserved to be in front, we had got into some good areas.
“To concede late on was harsh but there’s a learning there. You have to secure the ball late on. The learning is just managing the game at that late stage.
“We knocked on the door second half, if you can’t make the breakthrough just make sure in that late stage of the game that you are secure behind the ball.”
Carter-Vickers had come off the bench to make his comeback following seven weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Rodgers said: “There’s no blame on Cam, it’s one where they steal the ball from him but if we were in a better position, we deal with the cross.
“That’s the learning for the team – you can’t be coming out from the space unless you have good control of the ball.
“It was a devastating way to lose because we deserved something, but like every game there are learnings and when the Atletico game comes hopefully we can learn the lessons.”
Despite the finest of margins between potential victory and a ninth defeat in 11 Champions League group games at home, the facts remain that Celtic are on zero points from two games in Group E.
Rodgers said: “We were under no illusions at the beginning of the competition where we sat. I said at the beginning our idea was to qualify for European football, and that’s still the ambition and mentality.
“We have shown over the two games against good sides that we can compete. If we can just tidy up one or two moments and maybe get a bit of luck, we will still fight in every single game to get that qualification.”
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