Liverpool welcome Manchester City to fortress Anfield on Sunday hoping to lay down a marker against the Premier League champions and regain momentum for a tilt at a first title in 29 years.
Both sides can only be separated by City's superior goal difference at the top of the table having dropped just two points each in unbeaten starts to the league season after seven games.
However, Liverpool's perfect run of seven straight wins to begin the campaign in all competitions has come unstuck in the past week.
Defeat by Chelsea with a much-changed side in the League Cup was followed by a well-earned point against the same opponents at Stamford Bridge thanks to Daniel Sturridge's brilliant late equaliser.
Yet, more worrying for Jurgen Klopp was an uncharacteristically lacklustre display in losing 1-0 to Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"This was a reality check on how things must not go," warned midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.
Liverpool were outplayed for large spells in Italy and looked to be feeling the physical toll of a brutal run of fixtures that also included a trip to Tottenham and a thrilling 3-2 Champions League win over French champions Paris Saint-Germain in a four-week spell.
"You have seen it has been absolutely intense since the last international break with the games we've had -- Chelsea twice -- coming to Napoli, playing PSG and now we have the game on Sunday against Man City," said Klopp. "We cannot change that, so we have to make sure we are ready."
- Salah slump -
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