Jamie Carragher has urged Liverpool to do “something big” in this summer’s transfer market.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are enduring a difficult season following their Premier League title triumph last term.
A 1-0 defeat by Chelsea on Thursday was their fifth in a row at Anfield, while only three teams have taken fewer points than the champions in 2021.
Liverpool currently sit seventh in the standings and are four points adrift of the top four.
The Reds are still in the Champions League and may need to win the competition to qualify for next season’s edition.
And Carragher believes his former club will need to address some of their issues in the transfer market.
“At this moment, even with [Mohamed] Salah on the pitch for an hour, Liverpool didn't look like scoring and that for me is a bigger problem than what's going on at the back,” he told Sky Sports.
"With the defensive issues, you've always got in the back of your mind that next season, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will be back.
“But when you're looking at the attack or the front six - and this is why I've been critical of Liverpool in games before - you can't use the defence as an excuse.
"The front six at this moment are not looking dangerous enough and there's no one really out injured too much. You could say Fabinho and Jordan Henderson are missing in midfield but they're more defensive players.
“That's the real worry for me going forward - where the goals are going to come from next season.
"Diogo Jota will help that - he looked sharp when he came on. But Liverpool need to do something big in the transfer market in terms of bringing someone in to score goals.
“It'll be difficult for Liverpool to finish in the top four as Chelsea were really impressive - they've got a really top squad.
"It'll be difficult to stop them. When you look at West Ham and Everton, they're in much better form than Liverpool right now.
“I don't think it's down to a lack of effort, but there's just something missing. Maybe we'll only get to the bottom of it next season when we see the crowds back. They just don't seem there in terms of energy and pace.
"Klopp famously said that his pressing is better than any No.10, but when you look at Liverpool right now, they look like they need a No.10. They need that type of player as the pressing is not quite there.
"Teams are coming to defend deep, and Liverpool haven't got anyone between the lines to play that pass. They had Philippe Coutinho but he left so they built in other areas. But they need that type of player.
“Without the pressing quality they had to help create chances, Liverpool haven't got anyone who can make that final pass."
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