GH: We are not being rewarded for our efforts

Two points from a possible nine tells one story but Gerard Houllier insists that he feels Liverpool 'are not being rewarded sufficiently for our efforts'.

Failure to win at Goodison today will mean Liverpool have made their worst start to a season for 90 years but the Liverpool boss is confident things will come good for Liverpool very, very soon.

"Scoring, for the moment, is a problem. But it is not something that is going to last. We will keep faith in what we are doing, and despite the criticism the players know we have improved our game, improved our defensive play and they know we can score goals. I would be more worried if we were not creating any chances. Now that would not be normal.

"We have created chances in each of our three games. The worry is that we just are not as clinical as we should be. You know very well that sometimes one goal can suddenly provide the lift and the change of fortune which people crave. When you are playing at the highest level, there are times when things get hard. It is not always a bed of roses. But the morale of the squad remains intact.

"We just feel that we are not being rewarded sufficiently for our efforts. The players have just got to be themselves. They must play for the fans and for their own pride. The derby is a special occasion and it is a game that we must be special in. In the past we have usually managed to do that, and apart from one or two occasions we have been special in the derby. We have to be strong and rise above things that are being said about us. It will come again, I know, and the players believe that too. At the moment we need results, we understand that, but we also believe our game has improved.

"I trust the players. I have the quality and that will bring the results, now the team has more flow and fluency. I don't think, for the first two games at least, we were firing up on all cylinders. The game against Tottenham was more encouraging. The only thing that was lacking was the finish. Sometimes our strikers take time to score a goal, and then they really start."

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