Champions League or bust for Houllier
Frustrated fans called for the Frenchman's departure on radio phone-in shows yesterday following their latest disappointment of an uninspiring season when the Reds were dumped out of the FA Cup by Portsmouth.
Club chief executive Rick Parry described the cup defeat as a massive blow. And he re-iterated that qualifying for the Champions League was "an absolute priority".
Liverpool are still involved in the UEFA Cup and on Thursday entertain Levski Sofia following their demise at Fratton Park.
Parry said: "We share everyone's disappointment. No-one will disguise the fact this was anything but a massive blow. We had high hopes of doing well in the FA Cup and thought we had a good chance of going all the way. Now we have got to get focused again quickly.
"The reality is there are potentially some brilliant ties to look forward to in the UEFA Cup if we can progress. We have also got to focus on Champions League qualification which is an absolute priority," he said.
Houllier's hold on his job will become looser if they fail to seal a place in the top four, and Hansen who played 623 games during the club's halcyon years has called for the squad to produce the goods.
"If Liverpool do not get into the Champions League, the Anfield board will be under tremendous pressure to make a change and Gerard himself will also be under unbelievable pressure," said Hansen.
"The Champions League is vital to Houllier's future now and if Liverpool's players want to back up all the nice things they say about their manager, they should try to save him by getting a top-four Premiership place at all costs."
Hansen, though, feels the team is still a couple of players short of becoming an effective unit again.
"Liverpool have got real problems and I would pinpoint two areas of serious concern," said the former Scotland international defender.
"I think at times they are far too negative and I also think they lack pace in the key areas of the two central defensive positions and in the holding midfield player.
"I also think there have got to be times when you have to put teams under tremendous pressure, and Liverpool do not do it enough."
He added: "This season people said Gerard Houllier should attack a bit more, so he did. But as they attacked they were getting cut up on the break because they lacked pace in key areas.
"I actually think Houllier knows that if Liverpool go on all-out attack they would get hammered, so now they are stuck between trying to defend and trying to attack and the results are not good.
Meanwhile, another former Anfield defender Mark Lawrenson believes Celtic boss Martin O'Neill is just the man to rejuvenate Liverpool.
The former Republic of Ireland international midfielder, who played 241 games for Liverpool between 1981 and 1988, said: "The Liverpool job is a very, very good one. Whoever takes over eventually will get fantastic backing from the board, lots of money to spend, and a great home crowd. You would be amazed how many people would want the job.
"Martin O'Neill makes average players into good players, good players into very good players and very good into world-class ones. I think he is just the right person at the moment.
"Look around and I'd say he would be tailor-made for the job, with the situation Liverpool are in."
Lawrenson added: "Liverpool had total domination in the 1970 and 1980s, like Manchester United did in the 1990s.
"No-one has a divine right to be at the top, but the fans are looking at the team and the players and saying 'it's just not good enough'."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged Liverpool to keep faith with his under-fire compatriot Houllier.
"Who would love to see their friend victimised? Of course I feel sympathy for him. I know how fragile it is. His team has been really unlucky this year and like always when things don't go for you then you get stick," he said.
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