Agger: We Aren't Good Enough

Daniel Agger has admitted Liverpool is not good enough to be competing at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds slumped to a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield to lose further ground to Newcastle and Chelsea and all but end any lingering hopes of making the Champions League.

The result means the Merseyside club has just one win in their last nine league games, and sits eighth in the table which would be their worst Premier League finish since 1994.

"We didn't score a winner," said Agger.

"Maybe that's because we aren't good enough.

"We had a lot of good chances, especially at the end. But we couldn't score the winner and that's the fact.

"It is a bit of everything; we are not playing well, we are not working the right way but we are trying everything we can and hopefully it will turn soon.

"We have to try to win every single game - especially at Anfield - but that has not happened the last few weeks and we have to turn it around.

"We play Blackburn on Tuesday and we have to do a bit better if we want a result there."

The defender also denied that the FA Cup semi-final clash with rivals Everton was proving a distraction.

"I don't think next weekend's game is in our heads now," he added.

"When you play for a club like this it doesn't matter if there is a trophy or not, there is always a lot to play for."

Agger's return to first team action after six weeks out with a cracked rib will be a welcome boost for the Reds.

The Danish international suffered the injury in the Carling Cup final and his absence was felt with Liverpool losing five of the six league games he missed.

"It is always nice to be out there," he said.

"It doesn't matter what sort of run (the team is on), it is always difficult watching from the sidelines.

"I should be used to it now (having had injury problems in the past) but it is difficult when you cannot do anything.

"I've only trained two times so it will be a week or two more before I'm fully fit."