Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was forced to admit that his side many too many errors in their 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa.
The Reds slumped to their second defeat of the season at Anfield on Monday, with individual mistakes blighting a disappointing contest for the hosts.
The Merseysiders had gone 31 games unbeaten on home soil until they ran into a resolute Villaoutfit.
The result leaves Liverpool's title dreams in tatters, with the club having already lost as many games term as they did in the whole of the 2008/09 campaign.
An own goal from Lucas Leiva started a miserable night for them on Monday, before Curtis Davies grabbed a second for Villa seconds before half-time.
Fernando Torres pulled one back for Benitez's men after the break, but an Ashley Young penalty put paid to any hopes the Reds had of staging a dramatic comeback.
Benitez said: "In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well. Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes.
"We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when Fernando Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty.
"We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win. Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve."
Benitez added: "We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack.
"Their keeper (Brad Friedel) made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances.
"This squad is virtually the same as last season, so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge. But we must do more, we must win at Bolton.
"We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility."
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