Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has called on the club's hierarchy to find some investment for new players after agreeing with Fernando Torres on the failings at Anfield.
Torres has let it be known that allowing the likes of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and Sami Hyypia leave last summer has proved costly in the Reds' miserable campaign.
Having begun among the favourites for the Premier League title, Liverpool are looking increasingly unlikely to even finish fourth and will have to overcome a first leg defeat to Benfica in the Europa League quarter-finals.
A league draw at Birmingham on Sunday has left Liverpool sixth, four points adrift of that all-important UEFA Champions League-qualifying position, having played a game more than both Manchester City in fourth and Tottenham in fifth.
Benitez believes Torres was correct in his assessment of the club's disappointing performance, with the Reds boss saying: "I agree with Fernando about a lot of things.
"He talks about it being a pity we finished with 86 points last year and we couldn't progress.
"We need to sign some players, we need to bring in some money. We need an investor and then we can challenge in a better way.
"The players are working so hard and they feel they can do more.
"Fernando the other day (at Birmingham), he was feeling really tired. He was trying and the other players were trying but while we don't have the investor it will be difficult to go one step forward."
Benitez was speaking ahead of Thursday's second leg against Benfica at Anfield, with his side trailing 2-1 on aggregate.
"We will try to do our best on Thursday to win," he said. "Hopefully we can balance the books this year.
"We need now to perform on the pitch and create a better situation for the new investors."
Torres has let it be known that allowing the likes of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and Sami Hyypia leave last summer has proved costly in the Reds' miserable campaign.
Having begun among the favourites for the Premier League title, Liverpool are looking increasingly unlikely to even finish fourth and will have to overcome a first leg defeat to Benfica in the Europa League quarter-finals.
A league draw at Birmingham on Sunday has left Liverpool sixth, four points adrift of that all-important UEFA Champions League-qualifying position, having played a game more than both Manchester City in fourth and Tottenham in fifth.
Benitez believes Torres was correct in his assessment of the club's disappointing performance, with the Reds boss saying: "I agree with Fernando about a lot of things.
"He talks about it being a pity we finished with 86 points last year and we couldn't progress.
"We need to sign some players, we need to bring in some money. We need an investor and then we can challenge in a better way.
"The players are working so hard and they feel they can do more.
"Fernando the other day (at Birmingham), he was feeling really tired. He was trying and the other players were trying but while we don't have the investor it will be difficult to go one step forward."
Benitez was speaking ahead of Thursday's second leg against Benfica at Anfield, with his side trailing 2-1 on aggregate.
"We will try to do our best on Thursday to win," he said. "Hopefully we can balance the books this year.
"We need now to perform on the pitch and create a better situation for the new investors."
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