Champions League: Liverpool weren't ruthless, says Adam Lallana

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana admits the players have to take responsibility for the Champions League predicament they now find themselves in. A 2-0 defeat to Red Star Belgrade leaves Jurgen Klopp's side needing a victory against either Paris St Germain in the French capital in three weeks or Napoli at home in their final group game.

At the moment they stay top of the table on six points courtesy of goal difference and there still remain a number of permutations which will see them qualify. However, it would be preferable to avoid an Anfield finale which would require them to beat the Serie A side by two goals to overturn their head-to-head record against Carlo Ancelotti's team. Lallana accepts it is time for the players to step up. "As players we've got to take full responsibility and make sure it doesn't happen again," Lallana said.

Red Star Belgrade's Milan Pavkov heads to score against Liverpool during the Champions League match at Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

"It's still in our hands: if we win our next two games we go through, but that was a great opportunity missed for us. [It's going to be] very tough. That's the Champions League - there are no teams that enter this competition that give you wins. It wasn't like us and we need to move on and improve if we're going to go through to the knockouts.

"Of course there'll be a reaction. It's not the first time we've lost games, it's about how you react and bounce back, but we're thoroughly disappointed to come away [from Belgrade] with nothing."

Liverpool's Adam Lallana

Klopp's side have won just three of their last nine matches - against Red Star, Cardiff and Huddersfield - and it has been generally acknowledged they have failed to hit the heights of last season.

"It was a slow start and we gave them far too many opportunities, especially from set-pieces," added Lallana. "We had chances but we weren't ruthless and patient enough. It's not like us. It's on us to take responsibility and we need to bounce back in the next two games."

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