West Ham striker Michail Antonio has admitted Liverpool's drop-off in quality has been clear to see as an opposition player.
The 32-year-old featured in the final 16 minutes of the Reds' recent home win over the Hammers, though was unable to help his side overturn Liverpool's first-half header scored by Darwin Nunez. No Premier League win has followed for Jurgen Klopp's side since beating the Hammers, having lost to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United in the past two matches.
Much has been made of the Reds' sluggish start to the season, with questions being asked of how a group of players who enjoyed so much success last year have seemingly fallen by the wayside.
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One individual who knows all about the challenges attached with facing off against a Liverpool side is Antonio, who has gone head-to-head with the Reds a total of 12 times, and believes Klopp's men are lacking a sense of 'connection' on the pitch.
"I wouldn't say it's been easier to play them this season,” he told The Footballer’s Football Podcast. "We have beaten them in the last couple of seasons.
"The way they play and the intensity they play at is quality. I don’t know how but, somehow, they have just lost that connection they always had, where they always knew where each other were and they always knew how to play with each other.
“This year they are just misplacing so many passes and the connection they had is just not there. You do notice it [on the pitch] because you see it.
"The more they are not performing, the more pressure they are putting on themselves. The more pressure you put on yourself, the harder it is to play the game you want to play.”
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