Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has conceded he might be one of the favorites for the sack, but believes his side has reached a turning point following their midweek draw against Ludogorets.
He said the 2-2 draw in Sofia was an "excellent performance" and is looking to build on it in Saturday's Premier League match against Stoke City.
"We're hoping that our season really began the other night (against Ludogorets), and obviously it will only count if we can take it into tomorrow's game," he said.
"I thought it was an excellent performance, we were very competitive in what was a tough game. Everything has been hunky dory for about 18 months and on the up, but it's a different deck of cards this year, it's a different hand we've been dealt, we just need to focus on the now."
"A few months ago I was manager of the year, now I'm favorite to get the sack," Rodgers said. "It's part and parcel of this wonderful life of working in football. Very short term-ism.
"But all you can really do is really focus on the immediate job and focus on what you can control. So for me it's about working with the players, really consolidating and defining, providing even more clarity in the roles of the players, the function of the team."
One player that has come under scrutiny is Simon Mignolet, who has been criticised for lacking a commanding presence in his penalty area and for his poor distribution, while his mistake for the first Ludogorets goal in the Champions League in midweek only intensified calls for him to be replaced.
Mignolet has kept just two clean sheets in his last 24 appearances for the club and this season has looked less than convincing.
But with no real competition - second-choice Brad Jones has played just 23 matches in four and a half years - Rodgers is obliged to stick with Mignolet, the £10million replacement for Jose Reina two summers ago which was always seen as a downgrade and was unpopular with fans.
"It is never easy. However, it (criticism) comes. Deserved or not, you won't like it but he is fine. I had a good chat with Simon today," said Rodgers.
"The club paid a lot of money for Simon to come in and he has saved us in games in my time here.
"His performance is like the team; we all need to be better collectively.
"We are losing games and not playing so well so it (criticism) happens and the focus on you at a club like Liverpool is magnified.
"He is strong enough. For us you have to embrace it, you have to be able to cope with the spotlight whether it is good or bad because it is always going to be there.
"Sometimes it won't always go your way and sometimes you have to cope with it when it doesn't.
"The team gains confidence from each other; it is about collective responsibility not just one player, and if we are going to succeed it will be about every player not just one."
