Saturday 28 November 2015 13:26, UK
Swansea manager Garry Monk says Liverpool are not yet ready to challenge for the Premier League title.
The Reds have lost just once under new manager Jurgen Klopp and are now eight points behind league leaders Leicester City.
Liverpool thrashed title favourites Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad last Saturday and also advanced to the knockout stages of the Europa League on Thursday night with a 2-1 victory over Bordeaux.
But Monk, who leads his team to Anfield on Sunday, thinks expectations at Liverpool should remain realistic.
"They will need time to get to the point of being title contenders - whether it be this season or in coming seasons," Monk said.
"Whenever Liverpool appoint a manager, the expectation is for them to be title challengers. That is the way the club perceives itself. Whether that is this season or next season, that remains to be seen.
"Liverpool have not been genuine title contenders for a while, but the expectation will always be there because of the type of club it is.
"He [Klopp] speaks exceptionally well and the team are in a good run of form. But this week has been about us and concentrating the players on what we do best and improving in all areas."
Swansea go into this weekend's game hoping to end a run which has seen them take just six points out of the last possible 30.
The Welsh club slipped to a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth last weekend and now find themselves just five points above the relegation places.
"When you're in these periods you need a complete performance that gives you that belief to get through it," Monk said.
"We know they're capable of it and it's just getting that one result, that one performance.
"Footballers are very strange creatures sometimes as they can relieve a whole cloud, even though the cloud might be elsewhere. In their minds it relieves it and they go again."
Monk made four changes to his starting XI for last weekend's league game - a gamble which appeared to backfire after Bournemouth took an early 2-0 lead at the Liberty Stadium.
However, the 36 year-old insists he made the correct decision to rotate his squad against Eddie Howe's side.
"They were difficult circumstances," said the former centre-back.
"We made the changes with the right intentions, and those players were part of the team that fought back from 2-0 down when as a team we were not performing at our best.
"They deserve big credit for that, and you don't judge them on that performance. Any player will tell you they need a run of games to get up to speed."
