Liverpool striking legend Ian Rush believes that Rafael Benitez's team need to take a hard look at themselves after the disappointment of losing at Wigan Athletic on Monday night.
The Reds conceded valuable ground in the fight for a fourth-placed finish in this season's Premeir League, and Rush feels that the answers to the current problems lie within the players' minds.
"Liverpool managed a feat on Monday that many would have thought impossible – they lost twice on the same night," Rush told The Liverpool Echo.
"If it was not bad enough seeing Wigan Athletic take three precious points, the defeat at the DW Stadium effectively saw us relinquish pole position in the race for the Champions League; things, from this moment, are going to be exceptionally hard.
"How, then, does Rafa Benitez turn the tide? He has got to do everything in his power to lift the squad, as if they are starting to feel sorry for themselves, they really won’t finish fourth – teams that sulk head in only one direction.
"I still believe there is sufficient talent at Anfield to get us out of this tight spot and maybe we need to get into the mindset where teams worry about us, rather than us worrying about keeping things tight.
"Should we start showing a bit more adventure going forward and the players have just got to roll their sleeves up, work hard and believe they can do it."
Rush does feel that the return of England full-back Glen Johnson to action was one of the few positives to be taken from the defeat at the DW Stadium.
The Welshman believes that Johnson will add more thrust and dynamism to the Reds' right flank.
"He will give Liverpool’s attack an edge and there is no doubt we have missed his drive down the right flank," Rush added.
"Johnson gets in a lot of crosses and shots and is able to produce great moments of skill, as we saw at the beginning of the season. Hopefully we’ll see it at the end, too."
The Reds conceded valuable ground in the fight for a fourth-placed finish in this season's Premeir League, and Rush feels that the answers to the current problems lie within the players' minds.
"Liverpool managed a feat on Monday that many would have thought impossible – they lost twice on the same night," Rush told The Liverpool Echo.
"If it was not bad enough seeing Wigan Athletic take three precious points, the defeat at the DW Stadium effectively saw us relinquish pole position in the race for the Champions League; things, from this moment, are going to be exceptionally hard.
"How, then, does Rafa Benitez turn the tide? He has got to do everything in his power to lift the squad, as if they are starting to feel sorry for themselves, they really won’t finish fourth – teams that sulk head in only one direction.
"I still believe there is sufficient talent at Anfield to get us out of this tight spot and maybe we need to get into the mindset where teams worry about us, rather than us worrying about keeping things tight.
"Should we start showing a bit more adventure going forward and the players have just got to roll their sleeves up, work hard and believe they can do it."
Rush does feel that the return of England full-back Glen Johnson to action was one of the few positives to be taken from the defeat at the DW Stadium.
The Welshman believes that Johnson will add more thrust and dynamism to the Reds' right flank.
"He will give Liverpool’s attack an edge and there is no doubt we have missed his drive down the right flank," Rush added.
"Johnson gets in a lot of crosses and shots and is able to produce great moments of skill, as we saw at the beginning of the season. Hopefully we’ll see it at the end, too."
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