Reds seek to banish January blues

LONDON. — Liverpool will attempt to sweep away the January blues on the last day of a wretched month when they host commanding English Premier League soccer leaders Chelsea at Anfield tonight.

Juergen Klopp’s side have played eight matches since the turn of the year and won only once — an FA Cup replay against Plymouth Argyle, only to fall to second tier Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round on Saturday.

And for the first time since he arrived at Liverpool, Klopp is in the midst of a crisis to the extent that a win tonight at home to Premier League leaders Chelsea is obligatory.

The 49-year-old charismatic German — who replaced Brendan Rodgers in November 2015 — has seen his side knocked out of two Cup competitions inside a week and a further loss to Chelsea would be the first time since 1923 they have lost four successive games at Anfield and only the second time in their 125-year history.

However, victory over Antonio Conte’s side would reduce the gap between them to seven points whilst should Arsenal beat out of form Watford and their north London rivals Spurs beat bottom side Sunderland they would be just five and six points off the leaders respectively.

Klopp, though, accepts some confidence has seeped away from his side with just one win in eight games in January and the free-flowing, eye-catching football they were playing seems a distant memory.

“We spoke about confidence a few months ago and I said it’s a little flower,” said Klopp after his side had been knocked out by second tier Wolves from the FA Cup on Saturday.

“If something bounces on it, then it’s away. Obviously, that happened kind of, but it’s not that we play without confidence.

“I can see a lot of moments when we really still believe in our skills and all that stuff. So we don’t have to make it too big, but it’s not that difficult.

“It’s not that I say there’s no chance until Tuesday to make a real turn.

“Somebody asked me a second ago if this is the lowest point of my Liverpool time until now — I don’t know. But if it is, it’s the perfect point to turn because it’s not possible to go lower. That’s all we have to think about now.

“It is a home game against the leader of the league and we need everyone for the game.” — Reuters.