Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has suggested that his side must go away and "reinvent" themselves following a 4-1 Champions League humiliation at the hands of Napoli.
The Reds headed into their Group A opener aiming to become the first-ever English side to win seven Champions League group games on the bounce following their perfect record from last season.
However, Klopp and his players were outfought and embarrassed by the Partenopei, who were 3-0 up by half time thanks to goals from Piotr Zielinski, Andre Zambo Anguissa and Giovanni Simeone.
Zielinski's second of the match put Napoli four goals to the good just after half time before Luis Diaz added a consolation for the Reds, but Klopp's side could not turn the tide in the second period.
The Liverpool boss offered his apologies to the away end after the contest, which marked the heaviest opening-game defeat for an English side in the Champions League for 19 years.
Speaking in his post-game press conference, Klopp admitted that Wolverhampton Wanderers - whom Liverpool face in the Premier League this weekend - probably "cannot stop laughing" following his team's capitulation at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
"We played here when we lost 2-0 and that was an awful game. It looks like we have to reinvent ourselves," Klopp said. "There is a lot of things lacking, the fun part is that we have to do it in the middle of a Premier League and Champions League season.
"We have Wolves on Saturday and if they saw the game tonight, they cannot stop laughing, they would say - and I would too - it is the perfect moment to play them. We have to set up better in pretty much everything."
A depleted Liverpool midfield was boosted by the additions of Arthur and Thiago Alcantara in the second half, but James Milner - who captained the side from the off - conceded a fifth-minute penalty and was booked in a dire first-half display.
Napoli also experienced plenty of joy in behind Liverpool's high line, which Klopp defended the use of after the game, but he conceded that a lack of pressure on the ball exposed such a tactic.
"The high line is only a risk when we don't have pressure on the ball. We need a high line. The problem was we didn't get close enough to them to put them under pressure," Klopp added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Klopp's compatriot Thomas Tuchel lost his job at Chelsea on the back of a Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb, and the 55-year-old was asked whether he fears for his future.
However, Klopp is not overly concerned about the prospect of being axed from his position, telling the press: "Not really, but who knows? The difference [between us and Chelsea] is we have different kind of owners. Ours are calm and expect me to sort it and not think someone else will."
Liverpool will aim to bounce back when Wolves make the journey to Anfield on Saturday afternoon before Ajax - who thumped Rangers 4-0 earlier on Wednesday - travel to Merseyside in matchday two of the Champions League next week. body check tags ::
