Friday 3 March 2017 06:13, UK
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson believes Jurgen Klopp needs to spend big in the summer - and find a new Graeme Souness for his midfield.
The Reds have won just one of their last seven games after losing 3-1 to Leicester on Monday Night Football, their fifth defeat by a bottom-half side of the season.
The result left them 14 points off leaders Chelsea and dealt a blow to their top-four hopes. Fourth-placed Arsenal are only a point ahead but have a game in hand while resurgent Manchester United are just a point behind having also played a fixture less.
Having conceded more goals than any of side in the top eight, Thommo has warned that Klopp needs to make big changes this summer if the Reds are to compete for titles.
The Soccer Saturday pundit told Sky Sports: "Liverpool need to spend big in the summer and replace the spine of the team, which is a top goalkeeper, a top defender, a central midfielder with some bite and a quality striker.
"I think since Klopp has been there we've been in profit for transfers so there should be some money in the kitty.
"Raheem Sterling is the main one who has been sold and we've got a lot of players off the wage bill. If Daniel Sturridge leaves in the summer, which looks the case if he isn't playing, it wouldn't be a massive sum but we've got to spend big on a replacement.
We're top of the 'big-six league' but poor mentality and attitude and complacency is what you'd associate with Liverpool. The players don't have it in them to win ugly.
"We need a bit of attitude and aggression, a bit of a nark in central midfield if you want - a Graeme Souness or, dare I say it, a Roy Keane."
Thommo is expecting a positive response when Liverpool host Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday evening but admits that would only increase the frustration.
"You just know Liverpool will turn up and be absolutely fantastic and we'll be asking why, why oh why, has that happened again?" he said.
"We're top of the 'big-six league' but poor mentality and attitude and complacency is what you'd associate with Liverpool.
"The players don't have it in them to win ugly. When we win, we win beautifully.
"You look at the results, certainly away from home, as it showed against Leicester, we're not designed to take the game to the opposition.
"We need a side that will come at us and give us space, like Tottenham did, but once a team sits in we don't know how to break them down.
"You look at the games we've lost and they're like carbon copies. It's only the Bournemouth game that was maybe different but again, it was dreadful defending."
