Stevie needs success
Improve or lose Gerrard, Lovejoys tells Liverpool
Last updated: 18th May 2008
Liverpool are the ones who continually disappoint me. Every season for years I've been thinking 'right, this could be their year', but they just don't do it in the league.
Joe Lovejoy
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Joe Lovejoy believes Liverpool have to deliver Premier League success - or face losing Steven Gerrard.
The Sunday Times writer called for Rafa Benitez to start challening for domestic honours as The Supplement looked ahead to their hopes for the 2008-09 campaign.
Lovejoy admitted that, thanks to Chelsea, the title race had been better this year but wants to see the top four all vying for Manchester United's crown.
And that, he says, means a vast improvement from Liverpool. And if they don't he believes Gerrard - who has urged the club to spend big in order to close the gap - will soon be seeking pastures new.
"I don't see anyone breaking into that top four but it would be nice to see people within that top four making more of a show in terms of contesting the title," Lovejoy said.
"We've had a decent race this year with Chelsea pushing it virtually to the wire, but they were always playing catch up and was difficult to see them winning it.
Disappoint
"It would be good for the game if it was more competitive at the top and Liverpool are the ones who continually disappoint me. Every season for years I've been thinking 'right, this could be their year', but they just don't do it in the league."
Two seasons ago Gerrard appeared to be on the verge of joining Chelsea.
The move fell through and although Liverpool have enjoyed success in the Champions League under Benitez, they finished the season in fourth place 11 points behind arch rivals United.
And Lovejoy believes a repeat performance could spell the end of an Anfield icon.
"They are obviously a Champions League team for various reasons, of that there's no doubt, but Steven Gerrard has been saying for two or three years they need to do better in the Premier League," he said.
"His patience must be running out because he is the sort of player who ought to be in a team that's winning the league. They've showed no sign of doing that and I wouldn't be at all surprised, Scouser that he is, if moved on - after this season.
"If that doesn't happen next season then I'm fairly certain that he will move on."
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