Press conferenceJoel Matip: It is important we pull together and help each other

The Reds return to European action at Anfield looking to put last week's disappointing defeat by Serie A outfit Napoli behind them.

Matip – who came on as a half-time substitute in Naples – has called on the more experienced players within Jürgen Klopp's squad to help pull the team together in an attempt to get back on track.

"You need to lead, you need to talk with each other and need to help each other," the centre-back said during his pre-match press conference.

"That's the only [way], you cannot go as a person out of this - only as a team. For this you need to have teammates and you need to help your teammates.

"If you are old and experienced, you should do it."

Liverpool were handed an unexpected six-day break between fixtures following last weekend's postponement of Premier League matches.

The brief rest period gave Klopp and his coaching staff time to reflect and hand feedback to the squad with a few open and honest conversations taking place.

Matip added: "I think in the team we are all quite clear; sometimes it hurts, this is normal, but as a good team, what I think we are, you can speak out this truth.

"You don't like to hear them maybe in the first moments sometimes, but everybody knows that something has to happen and that we have to improve.

"We have to work on these kinds of things and for these kinds of things you have to talk.

"There was a big focus on defending because this is the biggest thing to get successful. I think this is the first step: defend good.

"I think it always helps if you go back to the roots and these are successful roots.

"If you're based on this, this can give you help for a struggling time."