Rodgers backs Liverpool to recover
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is hopeful his players will bounce back from the disappointing 3-1 loss to Southampton after this week's international break.
By FOX Sports staff
Following a run of four straight wins in all competition, Liverpool had a minor blip last Saturday as they fell to a shock defeat to the relegation-threatened Saints at St Mary's.
The defeat meant that the Reds' hopes of qualifying for Europe now remain firmly in the balance, but Rodgers believes his charges will be able to regroup and rediscover their form once they return from international duty.
"We've got about seven players left because a lot of the group goes away this week," he told the Liverpool Echo.
"You can work individually with players. Obviously there is very little team work you can do.
"A few of them are travelling quite a long way, like Luis Suarez who is going to South America, but you get that at big clubs.
"We have just got to go away and reflect because it is important for us to maintain the efforts which have been getting us results.
"We've let those standards slip a wee bit so we need to get refocused and I'm sure we'll see a different side against [Aston] Villa."
The league remains Liverpool's last chance of qualifying for Europe given they are no longer in the running to win the FA Cup, having been knocked out by Oldham in the fourth round.