Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai does not believe their title defence has been scuppered by a run of poor results and leaders Arsenal remain firmly in their sights.
Four successive Premier League defeats were ended by victory over Aston Villa but they remain seven points behind the Gunners heading into the weekend.
Arne Slot's side have already lost as many league matches as they did in the entirety of their title-winning campaign but Hungary captain Szoboszlai insists that is not fatal to their ambitions.
"The season is long. If we were seven points clear at this stage nobody would be saying we had won the league already," he said ahead of the trip to Manchester City, one place above them in second.
"Last season when we were leading the way, we just stayed calm and kept on going because anything can happen.
"We just need to focus on ourselves, win our games and then let’s see what other teams are doing.
"When everything works, everyone is happy and it’s all positive, it’s easy to stick together.
"The hardest thing is when you find yourself in a position where we were a few weeks ago but even then we stuck together and kept on going, believing it would turn for us."
A morale-boosting and dominant win over Real Madrid was the ideal preparation for the trip to the Etihad Stadium and Szoboszlai believes they can transfer that to their domestic form.
"That’s what we’ve missed I guess. I think everybody could see against Real Madrid all of us running, fighting, being there for each other, covering each other’s back," he added.
"The most important thing is to keep going like this. There is a long way to go. Now it’s all about the Premier League and facing Man City at the weekend. We know how good they are now."
Last season Liverpool did the double over City, with the 2-0 away win memorable for the sight of the hard-running Hungarian, a goalscorer that day, exhausted and face down in the turf at the final whistle.
It is a quality which has been particularly evident this season while playing in at least three different positions.
"I just try to do my best on the pitch. If it seems like I am a leader, then I’ll keep doing that on the pitch, not outside the pitch," he said.
"We are a really close team. Everyone protects each other, we are there for each other, that’s been the most important thing."
