Jurgen Klopp says there are no excuses for Liverpool's horrendous recent form. 

Thursday night's defeat at home to Chelsea meant they'd lost five consecutive home games for the first time in their history.

Since the 7-0 win over Crystal Palace in December, Liverpool have only taken 12-points from the 36 on offer.

Only West Brom, Southampton, Newcastle and Sheffield United have taken fewer in the same time.

While injuries have played a significant role in their dip - Klopp fielded a 19th different central defensive pairing v Chelsea - the manager says their performances have not been up to snuff in clutch games.

"We haven't had the situation this year where we could really build on something because we've had to change too much," he said in his pre-Fulham press conference.

"That shows why it was clear it would be difficult for us from a specific point of the season onward, but the job then is to fight with all you have to get results anyway, maybe not with your absolute best football, but getting results anyway.

"That's the point where we didn't do well enough - we didn't get results.

"In [playing] an average game, you can still win it or draw it. But we lost even games where we were actually good, and that's of course not exactly how it should be - it's the opposite of it.

"We are very self-critical. We take and face all the criticism, that's absolutely okay.

"But it's still our situation and we cannot change the past - the only thing we can try to change is the near future."

Klopp may have to conjure another defensive pairing at home to Fulham on Sunday, with Ozan Kabak picking up "a little problem" during the defeat to Chelsea.

"He has played now a lot of games and we will see whether he is ready for Fulham," Klopp said.

"It doesn't look like it at the moment. We will have to find solutions."

Meanwhile, the German has offered an explanation for his 62nd minute withdrawal of top-scorer Mo Salah for Diogo Jota on Thursday night.

A cryptic tweet from Salah's agent Ramy Abass Issa added fuel to the clearly disgruntled-looking Egyptian's fire after the change.

But Klopp told his press conference, "I cannot not change a player just because it creates a story.

"Afterwards, I didn't even think about these kind of things in the moment. You do it because you think in the moment it's right.

"And you [media] are allowed to judge afterwards if it was right but it does not change my decision any more.”

Klopp added. "In the situation when you make a decision like that he looked, for me, like he felt the intensity. He probably saw it completely differently and that is completely fine.

"It's not the most important thing in the world, maybe 30 minutes without Mo Salah is why he could play again on Sunday.

"We make these decisions in the moment and not with any thoughts in behind. The problem only is you only have to explain it after the game and the day after the game - these kind of stories so far didn't happen.

"I cannot guarantee for the future and for all times it will never happen but these kind of discussions we never had.

"I could have changed other players, that's true, it was more who we bring on in this moment."

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