Football: As he plots Liverpool revival, Klopp says even Ronaldo has confidence dips

LONDON - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted his team are low on confidence but also urged them to fight through it, as he prepares for Rangers' visit to Anfield in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Reds have won just four of their opening 10 matches of the season to already fall 11 points off the pace in the Premier League and have work to do to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

Despite consecutive draws in the English top flight against Everton (0-0) and Brighton & Hove Albion (3-3), Klopp's men can clinch a second straight Champions League win if they beat Scottish side Rangers.

Their 2-1 victory over Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam in September was their only win in their last four matches in all competitions, so Klopp may be relieved to be playing a European fixture for now as they continue to struggle in the Premier League.

"Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment is at the top of his confidence? It happens to all of us," the German said, with regard to his side's lack of belief this term.

"Lionel Messi last season pretty much the same. You have to take a step in the right direction and when you're ready, it's back (the confidence).

"In individual sports you can fight yourself through it. In team sport, you have to do it together.

"When you spot a problem and think you have the solution and you expect the solution to be instant and influential, that in football is never the case."

Klopp also spoke about his team's defensive woes - they have leaked eight goals in the last three games, including four in the Champions League defeat by Napoli.

"Defending is an art, and it worked for us really well for a long time. But with it not working, you realise you have to go back to the basics," he said.

"We have to be patient to do the right thing again and again until it works out. We can't always start completely new. If we can help the boys with the way to defend differently then we have to do that.

"We have to be more compact."

The double-header with Europa League runners-up Rangers, who are arguably the weakest team in Group A, is a perfect opportunity for Liverpool to claim six points to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.

The Reds are tied on three points with Ajax, three behind leaders Napoli, while Rangers have lost both their games so far.

This is the first-ever meeting between Liverpool and Rangers, who have been poor against English opposition. They have won only three of 14 games against English opposition in all European competitions.

Liverpool have won 13 of their last 16 home Champions League group-stage matches, but Klopp is not underestimating Rangers.

"They are a good football team and well coached," he said.

"They had an exceptional season in Europe last season. That's what we have to prepare for. We expect a proper fight, a real fight."

With a busy October coming up ahead of the Qatar World Cup in November, Klopp could make a couple of changes to his starting line-up. In attack especially, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott could be involved as the Liverpool boss looks to freshen things up.

He will, however, be missing the injured Andy Robertson and possibly Ibrahima Konate, while Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain long-term absentees.

Meanwhile, Rangers have found the step up to their first taste of Champions League football in 12 years unforgiving.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men have been put to the sword in conceding seven goals to Ajax and Napoli without reply.

"If you look at all the squads we're facing now, look at Ajax, they sold (players) for over £200 million (S$322.8 million), Liverpool as well," said the Rangers coach, who could be missing up to seven injured players for the clash.

"For us to compete with them it's too much to ask." AFP