Carragher Urges Liverpool To Sort Out Home Form

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher admits the team's difficulties at Anfield are damaging their hopes of a top-four finish.

Carragher, 34 later this month, has had to watch many of those struggles from the bench but started in the Premier League at home to Stoke City and, though they are currently unbeaten in 11 fixtures at Anfield, the Reds have also dropped 14 points and trail fourth-placed Chelsea.

"It wasn't the result that we wanted but Stoke are a tough nut to crack and they have proved that a lot of times this season,'' Carragher said.”They have got a very strong back four and unfortunately we couldn't break them down.

"It's been a problem a few times at Anfield this season. We need to sort that out before the end of the season if we want to get to where want to be, which is obviously the top four.''

Winning their last two matches in cup competitions, including victory at Manchester City in midweek, coupled with captain Steven Gerrard signing a contract extension meant the team went into Saturday's game full of confidence.

However, that gradually drained out of them over the course of 90 frustrating minutes in which Liverpool did not really create a decent chance until Dirk Kuyt missed two close-range headers in quick succession in the final 10 minutes.

There was little else in the way of action as the hosts struggled to get to grips with a 3-4-2-1 formation and Stoke gratefully welcomed the confusion and misunderstanding it brought, defending resolutely.

Andy Carroll felt he should have had a penalty after coming on as a 58th-minute substitute when he was fouled by Ryan Shawcross but Liverpool were clutching at straws by that point.

"We had a good result a couple of days ago and we wanted to build on that,'' said Carragher. "It is a bit of a comedown from Wednesday (against City) but we have had that plenty of times this season.

"People have been disappointed with some results but then we have got a result that people don't expect. We are still up there, very close to the top four.''

With City to visit Anfield for the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final trailing 1-0 and Manchester United arriving for an FA Cup fourth round tie in the next fortnight Liverpool's home form will come under more scrutiny.

But Carragher believes they can rise to the occasion against the league's top two sides: "A draw at home against City would be okay - we wouldn't have a problem with that and we would take that now,'' he said.

"You wouldn't want a draw against United, as you wouldn't want to be going to Old Trafford for a replay. I don't think anyone is looking at those games from that point of view. Maybe when you play sides who will come on the front foot, it makes things a bit easier.

"Teams have come here this season and made it difficult but you would expect that City and United will come and try to win the game - that may make it easier for us.''