Curtis Jones has urged Liverpool to ‘stay calm’ after they lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday night – their second defeat of the week.
The Reds’ perfect start to the season came to a grinding halt at Selhurst Park on Saturday with a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
And Arne Slot’s troops fared little better in the intimidating surroundings of RAMS Park in Istanbul, succumbing to a 16th-minute Victor Osimhen penalty after Dominik Szoboszlai had tangled with Baris Alper Yilmaz.
The visitors thought they had a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after Ibrahima Konate went down in the box, but that decision was quickly overruled after a VAR check.
Defeat ‘part of the game’
Scouse midfielder Jones played the full 90 minutes against the Turkish side and called for a sense of perspective despite the disappointing result.
He told the club’s official website: “It’s just part of the game. I say it all the time, you must be mad if you think you can win every game.
“You’d obviously like to, but the reality is these teams you play are world-class teams and it’s normal if you lose. It’s just how you bounce back.
“We’ve got a huge game again in three days, the lads have to stay calm.”
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Reds suffer Alisson blow
That ‘huge game’ comes at Chelsea on Saturday evening, but Slot will almost certainly have to make do without goalkeeper Alisson Becker after the Brazilian picked up an injury in the 56th minute whilst saving from Osimhen.
He was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili and Slot all-but confirmed after the game that the Georgia international will start in place of Alisson – and make his Premier League bow – when the Reds head to the capital.
The Dutchman said: “If my player is on the floor I fear the worst nine times out of 10, and with the worst I mean that he cannot continue and that is what happened with Alisson.
“Normally he will not be able to play Saturday, that is 99.9 per cent.”
In-form French striker Hugo Ekitike is also doubtful for the weekend after limping off.
Slot added: “Hugo felt something and said he couldn’t continue. Let’s see how he is for the weekend.”
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SportJustSport writers