Mauricio Pochettino has refused to be drawn on the reasons for Liverpool's sudden collapse in form ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's trip to Anfield on Saturday.
Heading into the Christmas period, Liverpool were pushing to reel in Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and increasingly being tipped to do so, while they also had an EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton to look forward to and the FA Cup further ahead.
Now though Liverpool are out of the top four, out of the EFL Cup and out of the FA Cup, as their form has collapsed with just one win in their last ten games, that coming against League Two side Plymouth Argyle.
Spurs can pile more misery on Liverpool on Saturday at Anfield, but Pochettino is not willing to be drawn on why the Reds have slumped, with instead a warning that Jurgen Klopp's side still have quality players.
"I can’t explain, I cannot speak about another team that is not mine, only I can say that we had the same problem in November when we were playing in the Champions League", the Spurs boss told a press conference.
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"After Manchester City I think it was seven or eight games without a victory and always in 10 months, during a whole season, every club and every team can have ups and downs.
"For us it was the same but for me the most important thing is they are a very good team, they have very good players and they will be motivated like us.
"We need to be motivated and ready to fight because it’s a different game when you play against teams like Liverpool", Pochettino added.
Despite being firmly in the midst of a slump in form in January, Liverpool chose not to enter the winter transfer window to sign reinforcements.
