Sean McConville hopes his double against Bolton Wanderers will kick start his season as he is the first to admit he hasn't reached his best so far in the 2019/20 campaign.
The winger got his first league goals of the season last Saturday after hitting the back of the net 15 times in the previous campaign.
He knows, with the Reds battling at the wrong end of the table at the moment, they haven't hit the highs they wanted - and admits there have been personal reasons for his own shows - but he is hoping the 7-1 victory over Wanderers will be the catalyst for himself and the team to climb upwards.
“We needed that win as a team as we have been down in the dumps about not getting results that we felt we deserved,” said the 30-year-old.
“On Friday, before the Bolton game, we got back to basics and we knew we had to work harder than the opposition and I think Bolton felt it from minute one.
“Even though we went 1-0 down, I felt we overran them, we got in their faces and we took the ball off them high up the pitch and people have said we were clinical on Saturday and the chances went in which we created but we could have had more.
“Colby Bishop and Ross Sykes both missed open goals with headers and I should have had a hat-trick, Jordan Clark has missed one from six yards out and it could have been double figures. That’s no slight on Bolton as I like their manager and assistant manager but it’s just how well we played.
“We have set a benchmark now and we have got to put in those performances week in and week out.”
McConville admitted he needed that first league goal for himself as well as the team.
“It was more of a relief for myself because I haven’t scored in the league this season so it was a relief for me to get off the mark.
“I felt like being subbed at half-time against Crewe in the FA Cup and getting left out of the starting XI against Rotherham, that was a bit of a kick up the backside that I needed.
“Hopefully I can push on and get to the levels that my goalscoring got to last season, that’s got to be the aim.
“I know I am a good player, I know I can score goals at this level and know, if I can keep working hard, it can turn for me.
“People judge us, rightly so, on the field but there have been off-the-field issues which have affected me this season.
“I have had a few niggly injuries, I had a shoulder injury which kept me out for a bit, I have had a bit of a knee injury which I had to get a couple of injections for and I have had suspensions, I have missed a few games, and other things as well.
“It doesn’t stop me, when I put that shirt on, trying my hardest but I just feel now I am in a better place and I have overcome them and things have fallen right for me and hopefully it will continue.
“For one reason or another, this season hasn’t kicked into light yet but hopefully a big win like that can start it for everyone.”
McConville would prefer to be playing this weekend but will use the time off productively as the Reds look ahead to a trip to Tranmere a week on Saturday, who are two points below the 17th placed Reds with a game in hand.
“While we want to play it will be nice to have a weekend off, a chance time to spend with our families before the busy Christmas period.
“When you lose you want to get back playing as the camp is down and people are looking at each other a bit funny.
“But when you win a game, it’s a nice place to come, everyone is smiling. At the moment, the camp is in a good place, everyone is in a good mood and next week we will focus on what’s going to be a big game at Tranmere.
“If we go and beat Tranmere, that will put a bit of daylight between us and them and you are not looking over your shoulder but looking the other way.”