Soccer: Title way out of Reds’ reach

AFTER 14 long years, Liverpool might be ready to end their league title drought — but do not expect anyone at Anfield to be celebrating in May.

Sunday's 2-2 draw at Manchester City saw the once-mighty Reds slip an astonishing 20 points behind Premiership leaders Manchester United even though the season has not yet reached its halfway point.

The sad truth for a team that dominated at home and abroad barely two decades ago is that, in points terms, they are closer to basement dwellers Wolves than big-spending Chelsea, who occupy bottom spot in the table Houllier admitted Liverpool are not part of.

"We realise there are two leagues at the moment the top three and the rest," said the philosophical Frenchman.

"The number of injuries we have had means it has been very difficult for us to compete with Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea. We have to go for fourth place now and there will be several teams doing that."

After missing out on much-needed Champions League income this season, Houllier knows he cannot afford to fail again.

While chairman David Moores has denied Houllier would be ushered out of the exit door should Liverpool fail to snatch a top four slot, the club's long-suffering fans may not be so forgiving.

The Reds currently occupy sixth spot but the position is not so rosy when you consider they lead Newcastle, Southampton and Birmingham on goal difference, although they do have a match in hand.

In his defence, Houllier points to a lengthy injury list as the main reason behind the Anfield outfit's present plight.

"It is not an excuse, these are the facts," he said.

"Michael Owen has not played since October 4. That is three months without your main striker. We lost Milan Baros and Jamie Carragher and Harry Kewell has only just come back after three weeks out. Any team would struggle when their main strikeforce is not there.

"We started the season well but if you look at the number of shots we have had since Michael and Harry have been out, it has dipped markedly. I can only assess the situation when I get everybody back and fit then it will be better."

While Houllier's plight does deserve a modicum of sympathy, it should be noted that Manchester United have been forced to operate without Paul Scholes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Wes Brown for most of the campaign, while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has had to tip-toe around the loss of key players due to suspension and injury this season.

While shorn of Owen, Baros, Carragher, Steve Finnan and Salif Diao, the side Liverpool turned out on Sunday did contain £60m-worth of talent, a figure that dwarfs the sum laid out by Charlton boss Alan Curbishley, whose team currently occupy the all-important fourth spot.

At least they managed to avoid a public lambasting at Eastlands by showing a drastic improvement on their first-half performance and only an injury-time strike from former Kop idol Robbie Fowler denied them a win they would scarcely have deserved.

Given his current injury situation, Houllier will hope the thigh strain which forced skipper Steven Gerrard to limp off in the second half does not prove too serious.

While Gerrard's presence should not be essential to Liverpool's chances of shrugging off Yeovil in Sunday's FA Cup third round tie at the Huish, his manager knows the England midfielder will be required for the key trip to Chelsea when their Premiership campaign resumes on January 7.

"He felt it at the beginning of the game and we decided at half-time that if it didn't ease off he would come off. In cold conditions these things can go very quickly and we don't want to take any risks with him at all."