Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his well-aimed kick up the backside to his Liverpool players does the trick.
They have earned much praise this season as Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0 have won the Carabao Cup with a bunch of kids and challenged for the Premier League title.
Klopp preferred to accentuate the positives, rather than point out the negatives, as they lost 3-0 at home to Atalanta and then, three days later, 1-0 at Anfield to Crystal Palace. But Wednesday night was a defeat too far for him and Liverpool were poor.
He rightly apologised to fans and highlighted the nightmare scenario of Liverpool failing to make the Champions League.
That should not happen and Liverpool have a big enough points advantage over Aston Villa and Tottenham, even though they still have both to play.
Klopp is trying to rouse his Liverpool side into action and they have been on an alarming downwards slide since the international break. He wants a response in their last four games to keep chasing Manchester City and Arsenal, although their title hopes have gone.
Klopp is not thinking of his farewell, but Liverpool do not want his last game in charge against Wolves on May 19 being a total anti-climax because the Reds have nothing to play for.
Klopp is right to challenge his players and too many of them are feeling sorry for themselves.
Everton was their 54th game of a gruelling season, which has exacted a heavy price for Liverpool in terms of injuries and fatigue, and the Reds have played more games than anyone else.
Even now, they are still being hindered by injuries and Diogo Jota, the most-natural finisher at the club, is out again after only returning to full fitness. But Klopp will not accept any self-pity and Liverpool can still make this a successful season.
After the disappointments of last season, most Liverpool fans would have settled for a top four place in August. A Champions League place and the Carabao Cup would make this a successful final season for them under Klopp.
The excuses are many and tiredness is an issue because Alexis MacAllister and Wataru Endo have played too many games because of the club’s injury crisis. But too many others, such as Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai, have seen their form fall off a cliff.
Nunez has just one goal in his last nine games, while Salah is enduring the worst run of his seven years at Anfield and has netted just three in his last eight matches.
Two of those were penalties and he has managed just one goal in open play from his 12 shots on goal against Brighton. He doesn’t even look like scoring and was totally off it against Everton.
Liverpool have a massive decision to make on his future this summer when he turns 32 and it may be time to accept that huge offer from Saudi Arabia’s pro league. That’s a decision for then
For now, Liverpool need to get back on track and seal that top-three finish.
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