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Liverpool need 'solution' to lack of goals, says Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers hopes his Liverpool team will rediscover their scoring touch as they look to recover from two damaging defeats.

Losses to Manchester United and Arsenal have left the Mersyesiders with fading hopes of Champions League qualification, fifth in the table and seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

The Reds have scored 45 goals in 31 top-flight matches this season - but last time they netted 101 times as they finished two points behind eventual winners City.

And with no Liverpool player having scored more than six league goals, Rodgers admits improvements to their attacking play and finishing are needed.

"We are still trying to find solutions at the top end of the field," he said. "When everyone is fit and available we are able to compete with this squad, but our top goalscorer is on six goals. Three players on six goals is the reality of where we are at, and we have to find solutions for that.

"It's about finding what suits the players. We have obviously got a number of players out now, and when we changed the system it suited them. We are always looking to find a way.

"If you look at the game the other day, we created important opportunities at the beginning -- but you have to take them. As a whole, I think that, in terms of the efforts on our opponents' goal, we need to increase that level.

"Our possession just hasn't been good enough, that has been the key to it. We have to build the game quickly, but the ball has been so slow.

"It wasn't just these two games, it was the Swansea game in the first half as well. The speed of our game hasn't quite been there, the speed of our passing.

"When we play the game quickly, that allows us to get into position. And the key for us is that when you're in position you can press better as well because if the ball breaks down you're there.

"Against United we were only in half positions, we were trying to build the game, get into position but we gave the ball away and there was too much space.

"In the Arsenal game we didn't start well, got back into it but then defended poorly. I don't think it was anything to do with the system, whatever system we were playing -- we just didn't pass the ball quick enough."

Rodgers also dismissed suggestions that his side could not compete with their higher-placed rivals, despite having struggled for positive results in their meetings.

He said: "It is certainly not the mindset or attitude we want here at the club. Yes, you can look at Arsenal's squad at the weekend, and the teams that are above us, but it is certainly not a mindset we want to adopt.

"We have to fight to get in there, and whatever the barriers are in front of us -- whether it is finance or whatever -- we have to do everything we can to break that barrier. That is something I will continue to do.

"We are where we are at the minute. We recovered the season in that mid-section, and now we have to try fight until the very end and look to keep progressing as much as we can."