Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool are enduring a “strange” season.
The German saw his side put in a tame performance away at Real Madrid, failing to lay much of a glove on the European champions as they were knocked out of the Champions League.
Despite picking a four-man frontline, the Reds struggled to impose themselves inside Santiago Bernabeu and Karim Benzema’s goal sealed a 6-2 aggregate win.
Where last season Liverpool were the model of consistency, this time around has proven anything but.
They followed up a record-breaking 7-0 win over Manchester United with a dismal defeat away at Bournemouth and face a fight to finish in the Premier League’s top four.
Klopp’s team trail fourth-placed Tottenham by six points and play all of Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal after the international break.
Speaking after the defeat in the Spanish capital, the Liverpool boss said: “Our job is to squeeze everything out of this season - it’s a strange one.
“We prepared for a special performance but we were unable to put it on the pitch tonight. Nobody’s thinking how Liverpool didn’t go through. That’s how it is and we have to accept it."
