Liverpool midfielder Ryan Babel has revealed a crisis of confidence at the club that could make this a catastrophic year for them.

The Reds have endured a horrific season so far.

They were dumped out of Europe before the knockout stage and the defeat to Wigan on Monday was their ninth in the Premier League this season.

With problems on and off the pitch piling up, Babel said that confidence on the red side of Merseyside is so fragile that just one defeat shatters it completely.

Things have become so bad that manager Rafael Benitez openly questioned the character of the players after their 1-0 reverse at the DW stadium.

"It is so disappointing that we can't create the kind of confidence with winning games. One defeat seems to spoil all we have and then we have to start again," said Babel.

"We still have hope and faith that we can get fourth place, but it will be harder in every game. It was going to be difficult even before Wigan. We know we needed to get three points and that's why the disappointment is so big because we failed.

"We have made it really difficult for ourselves now, but we have an important game on Thursday and must be ready for that. We can't be disappointed too long," declared the Dutchman.