An emotional Jurgen Klopp has conceded Liverpool’s Premier League title bid.
Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Leicester City saw the defending champions fall 13 points off the pace behind Manchester City following a second-half collapse.
Mohamed Salah gave the Reds a 67th-minute lead before three goals in seven minutes saw them suffer a third consecutive loss in the league.
And Klopp admitted after the game at the King Power Stadium that his side’s chances of reclaiming their long-awaited title are now officially at an end.
Asked whether he thought Liverpool’s challenge for the top was over, he said: “Yes. I can’t believe it, but yes.”
He added: “We are not thinking about the title, we are not silly.
“We have on Tuesday a tough game (against RB Leipzig in the Champions League last 16) and then on Saturday a derby (with Everton).
“These are the things we are thinking about. If we want a good season in the end, we have to win these games.
“We are not looking for excuses. A lot of things have happened and it is all fine. We could have and should have done better, it was just what happened.
“But we spoke about that already.
“At the moment, it is tough and the only way out of the situation is to play good football: fight, work hard, these kinds of things.
“We are still able to do that and that is what we will keep doing. We have to do that and we will get the results and we will see where we end up.
“The situation is tough but it is ours and we have to sort it.”