Steven Gerrard: We need to come back stronger

Steven Gerrard hopes that Liverpool can come back stronger next season after a disappointing campaign.

The Reds suffered FA Cup final heartbreak at Wembley after falling to a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.

Gerrard admitted that Liverpool have not been good enough in the league this term but revealed that he is encouraged by the team's form in the cup competitions.

"We need to dust ourselves down and we need to respond to the challenge next year," the 31-year-old told the club's official website. "We need to come back. Football is about highs and lows, it's certainly been a low today.

"We've been fantastic in the cup competitions this year and the players deserve a lot of credit for that. We haven't been good enough in the league this year and we deserve criticism and we need to take criticism like men.

"We need to do better. We're Liverpool Football Club, we're no seventh or eighth in the league. We're better than that."

Gerrard has won the FA Cup on two previous occasions, in 2001 and 2006.