Brendan Rogers admits his Liverpool side have to improve their domestic league form ahead of Saturday's home match against Stoke City.
Liverpool (4-2-6) slumped to their third straight English top-flight defeat after losing 3-1 at Crystal Palace last weekend. The Reds took the lead after just two minutes with a goal from striker Rickie Lambert before tallies from Dwight Gayle, Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak secured all three points for Palace.
The Merseysiders were then held to a 2-2 draw at Bulgarian champions Ludogorets on Wednesday evening after conceding an equaliser two minutes from time. Lambert and Jordan Henderson scored first-half goals for Liverpool, who will qualify for the last 16 of Europe's top club competition if they beat Swiss side Basel at Anfield next month.
Rodgers acknowledged Liverpool's recent Premier League performances have been disappointing, but he is delighted the Reds still have a good chance of reaching the Champions League knockout stage.
"In the Premier League, we haven't been good enough in our performances or consistent enough - that's my responsibility," Rodgers told his club's official website. "In the Champions League, we still have it in our hands.
"It was always going to be a very close group; all the teams have shown they are good teams. Basel are a team that have got experience in the competition, and Ludogorets in their first year have had some good results. To win in your final game at home, when I thought at the beginning of the competition that would be the case, I'm happy to take that."
Stoke (4-3-5) suffered their fifth league defeat as they lost 2-1 at home to lowly Burnley last weekend. The Potters conceded two goals within the first 13 minutes, and even though striker Jon Walters pulled one back with a diving header on the half-hour mark, Stoke couldn't get an equaliser despite dominating possession after the break. The result left Stoke in the 11th spot on 15 points, just one place and one point above Saturday hosts Liverpool.
Mark Hughes' preparations for the trip to Anfield have been disrupted by a sickness bug in the Potters squad.
"We're struggling at the moment with a little bit of a virus," the Stoke manager told his club's official website Thursday. "It started with the Under-21s and we've had to close down their operation really and keep everyone away from the first team.
"Unfortunately, there's been a little bit of sickness in the senior squad this morning and two or three players have been sent back home. Asmir Begovic and Geoff Cameron have gone down with sickness and we sent Phil Bardsley home just in case."
Injured Liverpool defensive trio Mamadou Sakho, Jose Enrique and Jon Flanagan have been ruled out of the Stoke match.
Potters forward Victor Moses will miss the game at Anfield due to a thigh injury that is likely to sideline him for six weeks, while on-loan Oussama Assaidi is ineligible to face parent club Liverpool.
Liverpool took all six points off Stoke last season, winning 1-0 at Anfield in August and 5-3 at the Britannia in January.
Thanks to their two wins last season, Liverpool hold a slight edge over Stoke in their all-time Premier League matchups. The Reds have four wins, the Potters three and there have been five draws.
