Premier League: Liverpool defender Glen Johnson says team is working hard to turn form around
Thursday 20 November 2014 17:33, UK
Glen Johnson has told Liverpool supporters the players are as desperate as the fans to turn around the club's fortunes this season.
The Reds endured three consecutive defeats before the international break, each by a single goal, at Newcastle United and Real Madrid, ahead of the 2-1 reverse to Premier League leaders Chelsea at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers brings his men to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, with the Northern Irishman himself under pressure for the first time since arriving from Swansea in the summer of 2012.
"The fans here are great and always support the team," Johnson told the club website. "They need to know that the lads are fighting to put the results right. As always, we'll all be pulling in the same direction. It's not easy to overcome any defeat.
It is a massive week. The first game back after the international break is always an important game
"The good thing about football is that usually you have an opportunity to put things right a few days later. But to lose a game like that just before the international break, it looms over you slightly longer.
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"The key now is to try to keep doing what we do every day - stay together, work hard and not try to do anything that we don't usually do.
"There are some top players here and top guys as well. The squad is close, there is a good bunch of lads, and everyone is certainly fighting to try to get some more points on the board."
Johnson was overlooked for the recent internationals with Nathaniel Clyne of Southampton preferred in the right-back slot against Slovenia and Scotland while Arsenal's Calum Chambers used as back-up.
But former Portsmouth and Chelsea defender Johnson prefers to look ahead to the trip to Selhurst Park as well as the return to UEFA Champions League action against Bulgaria champions Ludogorets Razgrad on Wednesday evening.
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It was in south London that Liverpool's title bandwagon effectively hit the buffers last term after a 3-0 lead was pegged back by the Eagles for a 3-3 draw in the penultimate Premier League fixture of last season.
"It is a massive week," Johnson added. "The first game back after the international break is always an important game because every team is obviously trying to go on a decent run of gaining points.
"We have got to take the weekend first and hopefully get three points and then we can hopefully go on a good run.
"Crystal Palace have obviously had a break as well and will have been concentrating on this game since their last one. They need a few points, so it's going to be an important game.
"This is the Premier League and every team is tough to beat. It's never as easy as it looks on paper. Every team is fighting for their lives or fighting to climb up the table with those extra points."
Watch Crystal Palace v Liverpool on Sky Sports 1HD from 12.30pm on Sunday
