Players to blame, admits Gerrard

LIVERPOOL skipper Steven Gerrard has urged the club’s frustrated fans to point an accusing finger at the players rather than manager Gerard Houllier.

Houllier has come under fire from angry supporters following Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth, the Reds' third successive league loss.

Radio phone-ins have been besieged with calls from fans criticising Houllier, yet the Frenchman has made it clear he will not walk away, while the club have not sacked anyone for more than 50 years.

Gerrard said: "It's nonsense to start talking about the manager and his position.

"At the end of the day it's down to the players and the way we perform on the pitch. If we're not doing it on the pitch we are letting ourselves and the manager down."

Houllier has come out fighting insisting Liverpool can still challenge for the title, despite being 12 points adrift of current leaders Arsenal, and that they can claim a place in next season's Champions League.

But with Liverpool closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places, many fans will find such comments hard to believe, particularly with the squad hit by injuries.

Gerrard, though, has every faith in his manager and has warned the supporters to get off his back.

He said: "It's rubbish to talk about writing the season off at this stage. On our day we can beat anyone in this league and that goes for Manchester United and Arsenal.

"If you put a good run together you never know what will happen. Other teams are going to go through a bad patch, we just have to hope we are there and flying when it happens.

"Nothing else is acceptable other than to be challenging for honours, and I mean that."

Houllier is grateful for Gerrard's comments, but believes the best response will be a victory over Leeds at Anfield on Saturday.

Peter Reid's side could face the backlash: "I think there will be a big response from the players on Saturday, said Houllier.

"They feel they have a point to make. They are eager to put things right and I know they are with me. We are all in this together. Things are not going so well, but when things are difficult it's a more exciting challenge.

"I know the crowd will play their part against Leeds. They understand the situation and that we have lost players with injuries.

Midfielder Danny Murphy is poised to return from a spell out with ankle ligament damage by playing for 45 minutes of tomorrow's reserve game against Blackpool at Morecambe.

Houllier, meanwhile, has extended the trial spell of Croatia international Milan Rapaic by another week as the midfielder continues to build up his fitness.