Javier Mascherano has revealed that Liverpool will hold crisis talks as Rafa Benitez attempts to save his job ahead of the crunch clash with arch rivals Manchester United.
The Reds boss is under intense pressure after four straight defeats threaten to extinguish their dream of winning the Champions League and Barclays Premier League.
Tuesday's 2-1 loss at home to Lyon leaves Benitez battling to avoid the axe and Mascherano insists they must reverse the damage before it is too late.
'Rafa didn't say anything after the game, he didn't want to talk because everyone is disappointed,' revealed Mascherano.
'But I think on Wednesday we will talk a lot. We need to talk and we need to see all the mistakes we have done and try not to repeat them against United.'
The match against United at Anfield on Sunday is expected to ultimately decide Benitez's future. Defeat against their old foes would leave the Spaniard facing the axe.
However, Mascherano has attempted to shift the spotlight away from his manager by claiming that the players are to blame for Liverpool's woes.
'It's not the manager's fault. It's the players' responsibility,' he added. 'The manager can say how to play but on the pitch it's down to us. We were not intelligent.
'We are very disappointed as it was important for us to win. We lost, so we know we are in a difficult situation.
'We are a team that was doing well last season but we have got to keep going, we have to keep working really hard and we have got to try to win the next game.
'United will be a massive test for us. It is all about confidence. When you have confidence you can do everything but we know the team is not playing well.
'Maybe a lot of players are not in the best form and it is difficult for the team and we are losing more confidence with these results.
'The supporters come to watch Liverpool win and it would be great for us if we could give them a victory on Sunday.
'In football, you never know what will happen but we can't afford to think about what has happened in the past. All we can think about is the future and we need to beat United.'
Liverpool could be without star duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard for the United showdown. Gerrard limped off after just 25 minutes against Lyon after aggravating his groin injury.
The Reds boss is under intense pressure after four straight defeats threaten to extinguish their dream of winning the Champions League and Barclays Premier League.
Tuesday's 2-1 loss at home to Lyon leaves Benitez battling to avoid the axe and Mascherano insists they must reverse the damage before it is too late.
'Rafa didn't say anything after the game, he didn't want to talk because everyone is disappointed,' revealed Mascherano.
'But I think on Wednesday we will talk a lot. We need to talk and we need to see all the mistakes we have done and try not to repeat them against United.'
The match against United at Anfield on Sunday is expected to ultimately decide Benitez's future. Defeat against their old foes would leave the Spaniard facing the axe.
However, Mascherano has attempted to shift the spotlight away from his manager by claiming that the players are to blame for Liverpool's woes.
'It's not the manager's fault. It's the players' responsibility,' he added. 'The manager can say how to play but on the pitch it's down to us. We were not intelligent.
'We are very disappointed as it was important for us to win. We lost, so we know we are in a difficult situation.
'We are a team that was doing well last season but we have got to keep going, we have to keep working really hard and we have got to try to win the next game.
'United will be a massive test for us. It is all about confidence. When you have confidence you can do everything but we know the team is not playing well.
'Maybe a lot of players are not in the best form and it is difficult for the team and we are losing more confidence with these results.
'The supporters come to watch Liverpool win and it would be great for us if we could give them a victory on Sunday.
'In football, you never know what will happen but we can't afford to think about what has happened in the past. All we can think about is the future and we need to beat United.'
Liverpool could be without star duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard for the United showdown. Gerrard limped off after just 25 minutes against Lyon after aggravating his groin injury.
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