Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has said that it will now be "very difficult" for the club to win the title after their shock defeat to Swansea City at Anfield on Saturday.

Gylfi Sigurdsson powered home the match winner with 15 minutes left on the clock to hand the Premier League strugglers all three points and leave Jurgen Klopp's side seven points behind league leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand.

Asked if Liverpool were now out of the title race, Gerrard told reporters: "It's going to be very difficult. [Struggling against weaker opposition] has been like that for a long time.

"When I played as well, whenever we got close on a couple of occasions damaging results against lower teams hurt us.

"Liverpool will know that. That dressing room will be stunned, you could see Jurgen Klopp's face. It's a big shock today because before the game I'm sure they'd have been seeing it as a three-point game."

Liverpool next face back-to-back cup encounters at Anfield, first welcoming Southampton in the hopes of overturning a one-goal deficit in the semi-final of the EFL Cup ahead of the visit of Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round next Saturday.