Kenny Dalglish
Dalglish is an important part of Liverpool, according to Lawrenson. REUTERS

Mark Lawrenson has claimed that Kenny Dalglish won't be sacked this season, even though the side have suffered poor league form, with the Liverpool legend citing a lack of efficient strikers as the side's key problem.

Andy Carroll's trip, or dive, as Tim Krul fell to his feet in the box on Sunday's match up between the Reds and Newcastle was yet another reminder that the striker has lost confidence in his abilities, and after getting subbed in the 79<sup>th minute, the England international couldn't hid his frustration as he walked off the pitch.

And with the match sealing yet another defeat that many pundits picked Liverpool as the favourite to win, Lawrenson believes that the club are becoming more and more desperate to find a player who can step up and score goals when needed.

"The biggest problem is Adam, Downing, Carroll and Henderson between them have contributed six league goals," he said, as reported by the BBC.

"You should be looking at 25-30 goals between them.

"Adam hasn't done it but the four of them haven't. Andy Carroll hasn't been the same player - it's the old 'take the boy out of Newcastle'. He's not been the same.

"We all thought in the summer that they had added more quality.

"At the moment, they are not defending particularly well. But they are absolutely desperate for a goalscorer."

Dalglish has come under more pressure than ever after the loss to Newcastle, but Lawrenson believes that Liverpool would be crazy to let him go now, despite his signings so far struggling to prove their worth.

"I don't think he'd walk away," he explained. "I don't believe he'll be sacked. It's a poor run, but the new owners are not going to make knee-jerk decisions.

"They could win the FA Cup this season, which would be two trophies, and that would be a strange thing to be sacked for.

"As a manager in the Premier League, it's a crisis if you lose a couple of games.

"They have [Aston] Villa at home at the weekend and I hate saying it's a must-win, but it is. I think he [Dalglish] will be fine, but at any level, you have to win games."

Liverpool are now 11 points behind Newcastle, and face the possibility of cross-town rivals Everton finishing above them in the table.

The club have to face Villa and Blackburn in the league and Everton in the FA Cup over the next two weeks, and the side will be hoping to take maximum points and move back into contention with the top four.