Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez cannot deny their campaign is lurching into disaster after last night's FA Cup defeat.
Reading shocked Liverpool at Anfield to dump them out of this season's Cup competition.
Benitez admitted: "I have a big job to repair spirits before the Stoke game. It will be difficult, and it doesn't help that we have problems with Torres and Gerrard, as well as Yossi Benayoun, who has some pain in his ribs.
"Is this turning into a disastrous season? It's not the best, that's for sure. Sometimes you have bad moments and sometimes better ones. We are going through a bad time, but we have to carry on.
"There were a lot of things Ii didn't like. We were winning after 91 minutes but then we made some mistakes. What didn't like? It's better not to say too much."