Jurgen Klopp has insisted he sees Liverpool's current issues as a challenge that will be solved in time.
The reds have endured a disappointing spell since Christmas. A period that has coincided with the reds boss losing his mother in the middle of January, and as has been the case for many, being unable to travel to attend her funeral last week.
Liverpool's football results have not helped his mood and he was forced into confessing that the reds title defence is not going to be a successful one.
More than most clubs, it is LFC who appear to have suffered since the Covid pandemic hit. The reds had effectively won the league in record time last year with the end of season effectively turning into a procession.
But without huge public celebrations, not to mention major injuries in all areas of the team, Liverpool's 2021 form has been a major let down.
A banner was unfurled at Anfield at the weekend giving support to the manager, with the inevitable social media rumour mill suggesting he was close to quitting the club, but Klopp used today's pre-match press conference to dispel such rumours:
"I’m ok, we had a training session before, we had analysis meeting and both were really positive and I am preparing to flying to Hungary for the first time in my life.
"We are absolutely OK and ready to go."
"The banner is nice, I don't feel that I need special support but it is very nice.
"I don’t need a break. The last thing I want to do is to talk about private things. Yes we have had a tough time but we always deal with this as a family 100%.
"And when I come here, I am 53, I’ve worked as a coach for 30 years and I can split off things. I don't carry things around.
"Of course we are influenced by things, but no-one has to worry about me.
"The beard gets more and more grey, I don’t sleep a lot, but I‘m full of energy.
"Now we are in this situation I see it as a challenge."
The boss also says that he feels the responsibility of being in charge even more in the tough times.
And he revealed that fans outside the stadium is making it harder.
"We do this for the people. I feel the responsibility so much when things don’t go well.
"The majority of our people are still, and maybe even more so, with us. It’s nice to see but I’d prefer to fight this with our people in the stadium.
"It’s not what you wish for as you can show real togetherness if the stadiums were full for the next 10 games.
"So we fight together, just in different places. Knowing about the support is great."
Liverpool's first leg last 16 fixture against RB Leipzig has had to be moved to Budapest, Hungary due to coronavirus travel restrictions within Germany. Kick off is at 8pm on Tuesday.
