Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that the players need to take responsibility for the Reds' recent poor form in the Premier League.

Kenny Dalglish's side recorded a third domestic defeat in a row after losing 1-0 to Sunderland on Saturday.

Hopes of reaching a Champions League spot have diminished as the Reds sit ten points adrift of fourth spot with the Merseyside derby against Everton scheduled for tomorrow.

"The players need to take responsibility for where we are in the league," Gerrard told the Liverpool Echo. "It's just not good enough for a club like us to be there. We have to find a better level of consistency.

"We need a reaction and there's no better team to produce that against than Everton. It's important the players put in a performance and get a result for the fans.

"Everyone is a bit down after recent results but we want to put a smile back on their faces. It's a big week and we want to go into that Cup tie with Stoke on the back of a win."

Despite a disappointing run in the league, Liverpool ended their six-year drought without a trophy by clinching the Carling Cup last month.