Brendan Rodgers has admitted that he must sign a new striker this summer if Liverpool are to challenge for the Premier League title next season.

The Reds have taken four points from the last 12 on offer to slip well off the pace in the hunt for a top-four spot this season, while also suffering a painful defeat at the semi-final stage of the FA Cup earlier this month.

A large part of Liverpool's failure this campaign has been down to a lack of goals, with just 47 to their name so far compared to 101 throughout the whole of last year.

"If you look at the numbers, at the same point last year, we had 90 goals. You're nearly talking about a 100% difference," the Northern Irishman told reporters.

"Defensively we've been strong, despite what people write and say, we had a 14th clean sheet [against West Bromwich Albion]. We're [in the] top five defensively in the league but obviously the critical area, as it was when I first came, was goalscoring and it's something we need to improve.

"It's certainly an area we need to address come the summer. We have a top-class striker here in Daniel [Sturridge] but he also needs help."

Rodgers also revealed that Liverpool are likely be without Sturridge for the remainder of the season due to his latest injury setback.