Fernando Torres urges Liverpool not to sack Benitez

Torres has scored 11 goals this season

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres says sacking manager Rafael Benitez will not solve the club’s current ills.

Out of the Champions League and off the pace in the race to qualify for next season’s tournament, the Reds have won just three times in 12 games.

“I think sacking the manager is not a solution,” said Torres, who thinks the players are to blame more than Benitez.

“We have to play much better. The players are the people that have to find a solution to the situation.”

Last season both Torres and Benitez signed long-term contracts, keeping them at the club until 2014.

“It’s a difficult situation but every top team in the world goes sometimes through a bad situation like Liverpool now,” said Torres. “Like every top team in the world, Liverpool will get over the situation.”

606: DEBATE Torres is closer to the situation than any of us and is also the player who would have the easiest route out of the club Redinthehead

While Liverpool have struggled to find consistency this season, the club’s financial strength has also been under scrutiny as American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks reportedly court new investment.

And Torres suggested that while Benitez needed to strengthen his squad, the Liverpool manager did not have the funds at his disposal to recruit high-calibre players.

“Obviously we need players,” said Torres, who has scored 11 goals in 13 league games this seaon. “If we can bring quality players it should be really positive for us.

“But I think the situation is really difficult because I think we don’t have money to bring in the best players.”

He added: “I have confidence in myself and my team. I know we are good enough. We were playing really well last season with the same team.”