Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has blamed the tiredness of his players for Saturday's shock 2-1 loss at home to struggling Wigan Athletic.
The Reds slumped to their fifth league defeat in sixth thanks to Gary Caldwell's 63rd-minute strike.
"I just don't think we've had the freshness that we've had in many other games," Dalglish told Sky Sports News.
"Today, I think it's the toll of three games in six days, which is difficult for the big number of them who participated in each of the three games.
"We just need to brush ourselves down and get on with it and if we do want to take this club forward we have to be able to deal with three games in six days."
The defeat has left seventh-placed Liverpool 13 points off the Champions League places.