Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has called for patience after an inconsistent start to the season.
The Reds sit seventh in the Premier League table having failed to replicate the form that saw them push Manchester City for the Premier League title last season, seeing them finish as runners-up.
Rodgers guided the Anfield club to a League Cup victory on Tuesday night, but the performance of his players was met with unhappiness by a number of supporters.
But, the 41-year-old believes his team are still recovering from the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona and is waiting for his new signings to adapt.
“The players we brought in were not really established. It may be difficult for other people to understand because of where we were last season,” he told reporters.
“The natural progress of the team was halted a wee bit because we lost a world-class talent but we needed the squad rebuilt.
“That decision was made knowing players might struggle initially but in the future they would be big players for the club. That is where we are at.
“Are we playing as fluent as we were last season? No. But is there big potential in the team? I believe there is.
“At the moment, without being anywhere near our best, we are in the quarter-final of a cup, our Champions League fate is still in our own hands and we are a couple of points off the top four.
“If it hadn’t been for Phil Jagielka’s equaliser in the derby [against Everton], we would be [joint] fourth. The expectancy has grown here to a level it wasn’t at two and a bit years ago.
“We have to deal with that. I am quite relaxed about it. It is just going to take time.”
