LIVERPOOL legend Graeme Souness points the finger at the American owners for the current problems at Anfield.

But he also insists manager Rafa Benitez is relying on past glory to keep him in his job.

The former manager also believes that Fernando Torres will be sold now that the Reds failed to qualify for next season's Champions League.

'If you ask me about any managers, particularly Liverpool managers because I know how difficult that job is, I'm not going to tell you 'this one should go or that one should stay', but I think he's very fortunate that he's managing Liverpool,' Souness said.

'At Liverpool you get more of a chance than any of the other big clubs out there. He's very lucky that he won the European Cup so early on in his reign.

'I think that's bought him a lot of time, and there's still a great deal of affection out there for him with the people in Liverpool.

'But if they lose to Everton on Sunday, I think that would be another hard blow for the red side of Liverpool to take.

'It's a hard business today managing at the highest level, but again I'm trying to look beyond personnel. I worked for them for a long, long time and some of the best days of my footballing career were at Liverpool, and I worry about the bigger picture.

'I'm not worrying about the present players, the present management, the present owners. They're only custodians.

'When you own a big football club, a club that's steeped in tradition, you're there to look after it and hopefully pass it on in better nick than when you got it.

'I don't think those two Americans will be doing that this time around. I think Liverpool's crying out for somebody from the Middle East to come with a big fat cheque that allows them to take care of the debt and allows them to move forward.

'As long as they've got that debt hanging round their neck they're going nowhere. The big danger for me is that by dropping out of the Champions League places this season they can no longer attract the best players.

'Not being in the Champions League next year I think that will cause Liverpool major problems. I would suggest that if that is the case then anything could happen in terms of people leaving Liverpool.

'And the biggest asset they have is Torres.'

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'Rafa should go'

FORMER Liverpool winger Patrik Berger insists 'time is up' for Rafael Benitez as Liverpool manager.

The Spaniard has come under pressure for much of this season, with the team 13 points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea and now out of the Champions League.

Benitez's transfer policy has also frequently raised eyebrows, with Berger alluding to a lack of quality throughout the squad.

The former Czech Republic international told BBC Radio 5 live: 'He did ever so well for Liverpool but in my opinion, for him, time is up and they should change their manager as soon as possible.

'He has spent so much money over the years - he did have success a few years ago but right now, for me, Liverpool do not look a side who can win either the Premier League or Champions League.'

Injuries have hampered the Reds for much of the current campaign, but Berger believes Benitez is lacking options having allowed several big-name players to leave Anfield.

'Liverpool are not as strong as they were last year or the year before,' he continued. 'If they have all the top players fit, the starting XI is very strong. But as soon as they lose two or three, they don't really have the same quality as when they had Craig Bellamy, Peter Crouch or Robbie Keane on the bench.

'They really rely on the starting XI, if they get a few injuries they are struggling. If they don't have a Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres up front they really look, to me, an average side.'

PA Sport