Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer has blamed the international break coming at the wrong time for the Reds' slump in form, after the Merseyside giants were knocked out of the EFL Cup following a 2-0 loss at Leicester City.
Jurgen Klopp’s team, who headed into the international break on the back of a commanding 4-0 triumph over Arsenal, have since failed to win a game in all competitions.
Liverpool were thrashed 5-0 by Manchester City in a Premier League fixture after the international break before drawing 2-2 with Sevilla in the Champions League.
Burnley then held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw last weekend, with Leicester, whom the Merseyside giants will face in the league on Saturday, knocking them out of the EFL Cup.
And McAteer, who thinks Liverpool’s momentum was hampered by the international break, said that he is worried about the prospect of the Reds’ defence coming up against the likes of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani and Kelechi Iheanacho at the weekend.
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“It's a worrying prospect that we've got to face Slimani, Iheanacho, Vardy and Mahrez at the weekend with the way we're defending”, he said on LFC TV.
“You just feel the international break had come at the wrong time.
“We had the momentum, the Hoffenheim game where the crowd played its part, the performance was great.
“Then the demolition of Arsenal.
“All of a sudden it stopped when the players jetted all over the world.
“It was the wrong time for Liverpool.”
Since the international break, Liverpool have conceded 10 goals in four matches in all competitions and scored just three.
