After a couple of disappointing results last week, Liverpool will be desperate to regain their winning touch when they host West Brom at Anfield in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The season so far has not gone according to plan for Brendan Rodgers, with Liverpool struggling in 14th place at the moment having picked up just three wins while suffering three losses in the Premier League this season.
The Reds could not bounce back from giving away that late goal in the Merseyside Derby last weekend, going down to FC Basel in the Champions League in midweek.
Goals, which were very much the order of the day in the previous campaign, have been hard to come by for this Liverpool side in the absence of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, who has been injured but signed a new long-term deal on Friday, with Mario Balotelli unable to find his goalscoring boots.
Nothing short of three points will do against West Brom on Saturday, as Liverpool look to make their way back towards the top of the table.
"At this moment, we're having a difficult moment -- we're nowhere near what we've been," admitted Liverpool manager Rodgers. "But that's the great challenge for the players and I. We'll look at it even harder, analyse it more.
"But we just need to ensure that we keep it simple and ensure that we keep to the values and ethics of this team, which is about hard work and honesty and concentrating on our performance.
"It's an exciting challenge. This is still an incredible job -- nothing has changed. The first six months was difficult here and then for 18 months we were on a magic ride in terms of performance level and everything improving. It's been fantastic.
"There was big change here in the summer. We lost a world-class player. We had to improve the squad by bringing in a number of players and, unfortunately for us, we've lost a number of our key players [through injury].
"So, unfortunately, it brings us into a little period of transition again."
While Liverpool might be struggling to get going this season, they will be up against a West Brom side, who are a point and four places above them, while also being buoyed by victories in their last two Premier League games – a 1-0 win at Tottenham and a 4-0 cruise over Burnley.
Alan Irvine, with those two results, is slowly but surely getting the fans on his side, after they doubted his ability following the opening four matches of the season, which saw the Baggies pick up just two points.
"Liverpool are probably going to take it out on somebody," said Irvine. "We've got to make sure it's not us. "I've seen them live twice this season plus their TV games and they have got some terrific players."
Where to Watch Live
The Anfield match is set for a 3 pm BST (10 am ET, 7.30 pm IST) start with live coverage on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2 in India. The game can also be watched via live streaming online in India on Star Sports online. There will be no TV coverage in the UK, but audience in the UK can listen to the match via radio on BBC Radio 5 Live or on the website. Catch the action in the US on TV on NBC Sports, while the game can also be Live Streamed online on NBC Sports Extra.
Australia viewers can Live Stream the action Fox Sports On Demand, while viewers in Canada can do the same Watch Sportsnet. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the match via Live Streaming online courtesy Bein Sports Connect, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same via SuperSport online.
Team news: Liverpool: Sturridge is expected to make the squad for the West Brom game, after nearly a month on the sidelines with a thigh strain. Rodgers, though, will have to do without the services of Mamadou Sakho, Joe Allen, Emre Can, Glen Johnson and Jon Flanagan.
West Brom: Former Everton striker Victor Anichebe will miss the game with a groin injury, while Silvestre Varela and Brown Ideye are also sidelined. Andre Wisdom will be another player missing from the squad as the defender is not eligible to play against his parent club.
Expected lineups: Liverpool: Mignolet; Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson; Sterling, Coutinho, Lallana; Lambert.
West Brom: Foster; Gamboa, Dawson, Lescott, Pocognoli; Dorrans, Gardner, Morrison, Brunt; Berahino, Samaras.
Prediction: 2-1 to Liverpool
