Ex-Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani is under pressure just a few months into his new job in Serie A, where the highly rated coach has lost the last five games in a row

Former Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani is under pressure at Sassuolo, with the Italian side, which he took charge of during the summer, now having lost five games on the spin.

Going down 3-0 to AS Roma this weekend, Aquilani is being tipped to be fired in various quarters. "I have to be judged on results and I have to question myself," the ex-Reds man admitted at the final whistle.

Following good work with Pisa and Catanzaro, the 42-year-old got the chance to move into the top flight with Sassuolo, taking over from Fabio Grosso. However, the team is currently hovering just above the relegation zone.

"It was as if a light went off," Aquilani told Sky Sport Italia when asked about the performance against Roma.

"I didn’t expect to see so little from my team. We have no courage on the ball and it becomes impossible this way. After we went 1-0 down, the game just stopped.

"I expect more in so many ways, but I cannot hide. I am the one responsible. We talk about mental fragility, but it’s hard to lift the players after five defeats in a row. This is football and we need to face reality.

"I haven’t spoken to them yet. I always felt their faith, but obviously I have to be judged on results, and I have to question myself. Many things have to change."

Aquilani did record a 3-2 win over Juventus, but his overall record so far at Sassuolo stands at four wins, two draws and seven defeats across Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

During his time at Liverpool, Aquilani made 28 appearances during an injury-hit spell under Rafa Benitez, where he had been signed as a replacement for Xabi Alonso.

However, he soon headed back to Italy, signing for Juventus on loan and then for AC Milan. He also had spells with Fiorentina and Las Palmas, among others, and retired from playing in 2019.

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"For me, it was very difficult to leave Roma," Aquilani later admitted when speaking about his time at Liverpool. "I had had a lot of chances to move from Roma, I remember, when I was younger.

"Arsenal and Chelsea gave me big offers, but there was never any chance I’d leave Roma. What happened was I was injured; I had a big injury. With this injury, I couldn't improve the situation. I needed surgery and was out for four or five months.

"When my agent told me Liverpool wanted me, for me it was like the years before with Arsenal, Chelsea, Juventus when Roma never sold me.

"But when my agent told me that Roma wanted to sell me, for me it was different. For me, it was impossible to think of changing from Roma to another club, to another country."