We must perform better, warns Liverpool chairman

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has given his backing to manager Roy Hodgson but admits results must improve.

Hodgson has been under pressure for most of his five months at Anfield, with Liverpool winning only one of their first eight Premier League matches this season.

Things have improved since then but Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Newcastle at St James' Park was another low and extended their record of only one away win this season.

Speaking on a phone-in on LFC TV tonight, Werner said: "We just got here, Roy got here shortly before us. Nobody, least of all Roy, was happy with our performance last weekend.

"We have to perform better, especially on the road. We believe in what Roy is doing and we certainly feel like the performance has to improve, and he'd be the first to say that."

Werner and new owner John Henry, who bought the club through New England Sports Ventures in October, have been welcomed by Reds fans for bringing to an end the unpopular reign of fellow Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The future of Anfield is one of the key issues for the new executives, who are weighing up the pros and cons of a move to a new ground versus redeveloping the current stadium.

"We certainly feel the need to do something," continued Werner. "Our intention is to increase our revenue so we can put the best possible squad together.

"We're hard at it, we've had a lot of meetings and we are moving forward with various options. It's too early to go in one direction or another in terms of whether or not to build a new stadium or refurbish Anfield, but we are making progress."

There have been reports a groundshare with Everton could be an option but Henry insisted that would be a non-starter if it did not have the support of the fans.

The Boston Red Sox owner also addressed the issue of spending in the January transfer window, calling Liverpool's form over the last year "unacceptable".

"We're actively looking at it," he said. "We don't quite know what the situation's going to be in January. It's our first transfer window and it's something we've been studying day and night.

"We're in sync with the fans with regard to what it's going to take for this club going forward."

Hodgson, meanwhile, today revealed his anger with Liverpool's showing at St James' Park and challenged his players to become stronger physically and mentally.

He told the club website: "I was saddened and certainly angry with our performance because in recent weeks we have shown we are capable of playing good football and we were looking like a very solid and strong unit.

"We've had quite a long get-together with the team and everyone agreed with me that it was a performance way below our best and we can't afford those type of performances.

"We know we have to improve our performances away from home. There is an element of confidence, we can't deny that, but basically I don't think we've been strong enough physically and strong enough mentally away from home."