Soccer: “We had a cast-iron penalty” - Houllier

THE STARK reality of Liverpool’s standing in the current football hierarchy was expressed in the bluntest of terms by Steven Gerrard, following this latest episode of frustration fourth place is the best that Gerard Houllier’s side can hope for.

Forget Houllier's bitterness at referee Phil Dowd's refusal to award "a cast-iron penalty" for there is so much talent on paper in this Liverpool team, and assembled for a pretty penny too, that goal-less draws at the Riverside represent a bad day at the office.

As Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea climbed further away up the table Liverpool captain Gerrard was brutally frank in his assessment.

Gerrard said: "Middlesbrough is a difficult place to come but if you want to win the title or be up there then you have to win games like this.

"We have to be realistic now and a top-four finish is the best we can hope for, and we have to get a top-four finish. We have just dropped too many points to consider ourselves realistic title challengers and obviously that is a huge disappointment.

"We have to aim for fourth. That would give us the financial clout that we need for next season. We have got to get into the Champions League to get up and get into the right position for this football club.

"We started the season with real hopes. It has been a real let-down that we are in this position but if you are realistic you have to say it has just not happened on the pitch on a consistent basis."

It was an afternoon of frustration for Liverpool, symbolised by their penalty claim when substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle went down under Franck Queudrue's challenge the Boro defender was nowhere near the ball.

Both sides played some good passing football, in particular the Gaizka Mendieta-inspired Middlesbrough in the first half, but goalmouth action was at a premium and generally it was Liverpool who threatened but even with Michael Owen back from injury they could not find the breakthrough.

Houllier claimed: "We had more chances than them and we had a cast-iron penalty. Queudrue did not touch the ball at all if he had it should have been a corner.

"In fact he just tackled the standing leg and the player is now injured, he has a swollen ankle and I don't know whether he will be fit for Thursday."

Middlesbrough looked woefully short of finishing power but manager Steve McClaren insists he will give Michael Ricketts a good run in the side despite the striker looking off the pace.

McClaren said: "Michael did very, very well in the last match against Villa and did his job again. It's not easy being up there on your own but he gave Juninho a bit more space and a smaller forward might have struggled."