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Former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has said that the Reds' string of games after the international break will determine their fate this season.
Jurgen Klopp's side won the domestic cup double last season and were also in the mix to win the Premier League and UEFA Champions League before falling just short. However, they have been far from their best this term.
Liverpool have been knocked out of all cup competitions and face the risk of missing out on a top-four league finish. They're sixth in the standings, seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, but have two games in hand.
While the Reds can reduce the gap with Spurs to just one point if they win their games in hand, they have a string of difficult fixtures coming up. They face Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in consecutive games after the ongoing international break.
Skrtel reckons those three games will seal the Merseyside-based club's fate for the season. The Slovak, though, is confident of his former employers' chances of securing a Champions League berth.
“In football you never only get good days, you have to take the bad days too," Skrtel told The Athletic. "When the days are bad, you have to fight with everything you have to get the good days back again.
"This season is not as everyone wanted it to be. But there are three big games after the international break: Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal. That’s going to be make or break in terms of qualifying for the Champions League. I still believe we can do it."
Skrtel also expressed his disappointment at Liverpool's failure to build on their 7-0 win against Manchester United, losing to AFC Bournemouth and Real Madrid consecutively. He added:
“The game against Manchester United at home was one of the best games I’ve ever seen, but then it was Bournemouth and Real Madrid — not as good. If we can perform like we did against United, we can finish in the top four."
The Reds face Manchester City in their first game after the break on April 1.
Jurgen Klopp should remain Liverpool boss, says Martin Skrtel
Skrtel said that no one should consider replacing Jurgen Klopp as the Reds' manager. He believes the German is the right man to get the team back on track:
“Jurgen (Klopp) is definitely the right man in the right place. Nobody should be even thinking about anyone else coming to the club. He’s a top manager and the best man for the job.”
Klopp has been in charge of Liverpool since 2015.
