IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD HERE

Only three points from eight games now.

Houllier said:

"You either get stronger or sink in this situation. I thought this was going to be the scruffy 1-0 win I wanted because this is a tricky period for us.

"We must be patient but it is so important for the morale of the team that we get a win soon. We were better in the first half but Andy Cole scored a great goal and Rovers deserve their point.

"We sat back too much in the second half and tried to keep it at 1-0. I thought we had turned the corner with the 4-3 Worthington Cup win at Aston Villa and Sunday's clean sheet against Everton.

"But there have been so many games in this period when we have been on top of the opposition and not taken full advantage."

Graeme Souness:

"We showed them too much respect for half an hour, just like against Manchester United on Sunday.

"I thought we'd lost it after the break and Andy scored a wonderful goal after missing an easier chance.

"In the last five or six weeks he has looked really sharp. Early on he struggled for fitness and a striker has to be 100 per cent fit.

"I thought Liverpool looked a bit nervous and we could have gone on to win.”