Jurgen Klopp has not exactly been searching for excuses for Liverpool's poor start to their season but he has at least been in possession of some mitigating factors.
While two defeats - at the difficult venues of Manchester United and Napoli - in eight games is not an immediate cause for genuine concern based on its own as an indicator of form, the general performances of the side since the first week of August have been alarming for the Reds manager.
Standards have slipped and the theories and critiques have rained down; players are out of form and questions are being asked. There is little dispute of any of that, but Klopp has at least been able to point to a handful of reasons for why his team have taken just half of the 21 points available to them across both the Premier League and Champions League.
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An injury list that has veered close to crisis levels has been unfortunate. Already this season, Klopp has been forced to contend without Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota for relatively lengthy spells, while Curtis Jones, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ibrahima Konate are yet to play a minute.
Aside from the very real ramifications of an at-times debilitating list of absentees, there are also the intangibles that Liverpool have been trying to dismiss. For example, quite how much last season's 63-game quadruple chase is still lingering only those inside the camp will truly know.
Having taken a historic charge to become the first team to win all four trophies to the final days, Liverpool fell narrowly short in late May, picking runners-up medals in both the Champions League and Premier League having already become only the fourth team to win both domestic cups in the same season in England.
It's a theory that has been rejected by both Klopp and Fabinho already this term, but given every single game from around mid-January onwards was laced with so much meaning, it would only be natural to experience a drop-off, even if it is incremental and subconscious.
"Everyone asks why we weren't at the same level as the previous season and I honestly think it was down to giving everything and missing out on the title like we did [in 2009]," revealed former Liverpool winger Albert Riera in a recent interview with The Athletic.
Those who are now at Anfield may be able to point to the 20219/20 campaign for proof of how they can respond to missing out on the title by a single point, but Riera and his colleagues' experience of a wretched 2009/10 season - as evidenced by his own admission - shows that it can happen, at least.
The circumstances now, however, may just be about to work in Klopp's favour somewhat. Having not played in the league since September 3 in the goalless draw with Everton, Klopp has been afforded the time and space to plot a way out of a sticky run of form at a time when title favourites Manchester City are still firmly within grasp.
With the international break falling on the other side of two postponed games due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, it has offered Liverpool's players ample opportunity to escape both the Anfield bubble and their early-season teething problems.
"I'm happy to get a bit of fresh air here [with Belgium] because it's tough at Leicester right now," said midfielder Youri Tielemans after the Foxes were sent off into the break courtesy of a 6-2 drubbing by Tottenham.
"It's clear that things are not going well at the club. We are doing everything we can as a team. The consecutive defeats have affected us as a group. We need to benefit from this break to recharge our batteries. It's hard to get it off my mind as it keeps running through my head. Only my kids sometimes prevent me from thinking about it."
And while Liverpool's disappointing opening has been nowhere as pronounced as the winless Leicester's, the comments from Tielemans do at least provide some insight as to what it can be like when things are not quite going according to plan for a Premier League star.
"I think it is a good start to be where we want to be again," said Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool signed off for the break with a 2-1 win over Ajax on September 13. "We don't get carried away as things can change easily, but we have to be positive, believe in our structure and believe in ourselves.
"The manager has spoken about it very loudly during the week but as players as well we are responsible for performances on the pitch. We are the ones who have to do it."
With Thiago and Henderson fit once more, along with Konate, Klopp, belatedly, has options to choose from throughout the spine of his side. Matip's first start since the draw at Fulham on August 6 ended up with him being the match-winner against Ajax and he and Van Dijk will form a top-quality partnership at the back as the midfield options are juggled. Up front, Klopp has Darwin Nunez - fresh from his goalscoring exploits with Uruguay - to call upon alongside Jota and an in-form Roberto Firmino.
For all the pointing towards an often absurd number of injuries, Klopp has choice once more as he and his refreshed staff prepare to welcome Brighton to Anfield under their new manager Roberto De Zerbi this weekend. It'll be over a month since Liverpool last entertained in the Premier League by the time the Seagulls flock to Merseyside on Saturday and while that would usually be cause to lament, it might just have been exactly what was needed.
A busy October that will see them play nine times in total presents the perfect chance to change the mood.
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