Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has said he wakes up in the morning thinking about how to solve their problems -- but believes the struggle will make them stronger.
The 25-year-old explained that even though they are only two points off the top four, despite a run of woeful results, they have to concentrate on correcting issues on the pitch before they can think about joining the race for Champions League qualification.
Wednesday's 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland was an uninspiring performance and failed to build on the win at West Ham last weekend.
And while those results may have stopped a run of nine defeats in 12 matches, midweek showed there was still plenty for Arne Slot's side to figure out.
"That is what we are trying to do, to get back to winning ways. That is what we are working on every day, trust me," Szoboszlai said.
"When you wake up in the morning, your head is like 'Let's find a solution to win on the weekend or during the week.'
"We want to be as smooth as possible but sometimes it doesn't work, sometimes they [opponents] find a solution to play against us and find out how they can hurt us -- play long balls, win second balls, getting dirty, crosses, set-pieces, long throw-ins, whatever.
"That is what we have to find solutions and answers for. Everything has to change a little bit and then it's going to be alright.
"It doesn't work out as well as we would like. That's football. That's why we love football. Sometimes it is hard, but hard times make you stronger."
Wednesday's game was Liverpool's first draw of the season and they have now already dropped eight points at Anfield, where in their title-winning campaign they dropped 11 in 19 matches.
It has left Arne Slot's side 11 points behind leaders Arsenal but only two adrift of fourth spot.
"It is something that as a Liverpool player, we shouldn't be accepting to be in this situation, to draw at home," added Szoboszlai ahead of their trip to Leeds, who beat Chelsea in midweek.
"Sunderland have a great team, of course, but if we were in the same situation last year there is no way we would lose points at home -- that is what we are missing now.
"We won the Premier League. Now, there are situations we have to find a solution for.
"Right now I think we should focus first on us, and not on the top four. I think there is a long way to go.
"We have seen many comebacks in the history of the Premier League but first of all we have to focus on us, game-by-game: we have to win games and then we can talk about anything else."