Virgil van Dijk insists time off is not to blame for Liverpool’s poor season.
Sunday’s 3-2 reversal to Manchester United marked the fallen Premier League champions’ 11th defeat of the campaign and 18th in all competitions.
The result came after Arne Slot afforded his squad a brief period of respite at the start of match weeks since exiting the FA Cup and Champions League.
Several Reds’ players took the opportunity to use their downtime on mini-breaks across Europe, which has been questioned in some quarters.
But Van Dijk has refuted suggestions that the Anfield dressing room is not taking its responsibilities seriously despite their latest chastening loss.
He said: “I’m not sure it’s a holiday. It’s a city trip. It was only one day [away].
“But I think if you have one day off, and you don’t have many days off, they decide what they want to do with their families.
“We are not kids. Everyone is an adult. This week we have an early kick-off on Saturday [against Chelsea]. So preparation is on that. Yesterday we were in a hotel.
“Today we played. So two days away with the family again. It’s not that we have a holiday whatsoever.
“I wish we had a couple more days off at times because I think it works both ways.
“You see Pep Guardiola giving Manchester City three days off the last weeks in a row and they are doing pretty well. It is finding the right balance.
“I can understand if people think we are not training and, when results are not there, it could be a reason for why we are not getting results.
“Like anyone else, personally I want this to be solved. I want us to experience what I have had over my time here.
“I want us to be successful. I want to consistent with the team, winning games, fighting. We want to get the job done.
“At the minute, we are just disappointed. Consistency is the most difficult thing in any job you do. But it is also the best way to be successful and get results.
“We have three more games now then the World Cup. We have to realise next season this season cannot be repeated. It is unacceptable.”