Leeds United travel to Anfield on Saturday looking to take advantage of Liverpool's inconsistencies as they hope to end their own winless run of eight matches. However, the Reds received a huge confidence boost on Wednesday night as they comprehensively defeated Ajax 3-0 at the Amsterdam ArenA to secure their qualification for the Champions League last-16.
Liverpool, though, find themselves very much off the pace in the Premier League in comparison to seasons gone by. They currently sit eight in the table and are already 12 points adrift of top spot having already dropped points against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Brighton, Everton, Arsenal and Manchester United.
Question marks have been asked as to whether Klopp's squad is coming towards the end of its cycle and whether they can return to their previously relentless ways. Liverpool Echo's Liverpool correspondent Paul Gorst believes they are currently somewhere 'in the middle' of that scale, but are by no means 'a busted flush' ahead of Leeds' visit.
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"The wider question now is just where this team are at present? Capable of superbly shackling City before turning in an abysmal display at the league's bottom team less than a week later; such fluctuations make it difficult to gauge an accurate reading.
"A convincing end to this block of fixtures now before the World Cup will at least start to win over more of those who have started to question a lot of things surrounding this football club since early August.
"Liverpool are not the busted flush some would have you believe, but neither are they the irresistible force of recent years either. Not just yet, anyway. For now they will perhaps sit somewhere in the middle of that sliding scale."
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