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Though Liverpool looked better against Aston Villa and then improved again for its game with Real Madrid, Arne Slot was unable to oversee what would have been a huge result at Manchester City.
The Reds started slowly and looked physically jaded after a grueling week. Goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and the impressive Jeremy Doku were enough to give Pep Guardiola a comfortable victory in his 1000th game as a manager.
In hindsight, perhaps Slot could have made one or two changes to his Liverpool starting XI at the Etihad Stadium. At the time, though, it didn't seem like a bad idea to stick with the same team that did so well midweek.
Tactically, he admitted, Liverpool got it wrong against Guardiola. More so in terms of energy levels and therefore competing for duels, it looked firmly second best.
Moving forward after the international break, Liverpool has a run of easier-looking games, though nothing is straightforward in the Premier League. And with two matches per week continuing, there will have to be rotation, even if the Reds find a winning formula.
Against Real Madrid, Florian Wirtz looked impressive off the left flank, but in the Manchester City game, he looked a little lost and unable to pick up where he left off.
Cody Gakpo can also play in that position and in the long term, Wirtz is viewed as a number 10. For now, though, it does look like his best route to finding form.
"Each of the five attacking players wants to be the 'star player'," Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann said this week. "This situation doesn’t make it easy for Flo — because the entire club is not as stable as they were last season."
And that reality is only going to increase when Alexander Isak returns. He was on the bench at Manchester City but didn't appear, and could play for Sweden this week as he looks to regain his sharpness.
With Hugo Ekitike playing well and Liverpool having looked better with him in the starting XI, Slot will have to somehow get the balance right in their minutes. The Frenchman is unquestionably worth his spot at the moment, which means Isak might have to wait.
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As Slot outlined recently, though, the only way of getting the best of Isak is to give him game time. Without that, his fitness levels are not going to improve.
Across the rest of the team, Liverpool is more settled. Alisson Becker should be back to face Nottingham Forest and Jeremie Frimpong is still missing, so Conor Bradley will continue in the team.
At center-back, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate's places are safe, though Andy Robertson will hope to maintain his spot ahead of Milos Kerkez having added some stability at left-back since coming in.
Alexis Mac Allister has found some form, even if he was jaded at the Etihad, while Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai will be in the team almost as often as they are fit.
Ekitike or Isak and Wirtz or Gakpo are the major dilemmas as Liverpool returns. Whoever doesn't start against Nottingham Forest, though, will almost certainly be in the team for PSV.
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