Thursday 26 October 2017 16:35, UK
Graeme Souness says Liverpool "have to stick with Jurgen Klopp", adding he would take a top-four finish if offered to him now.
Liverpool currently sit ninth in the Premier League table following just one win from their last six matches.
Klopp's position as manager has come into question with Liverpool 12 points behind league leaders Manchester City and Souness said the best his former club can hope for is finishing in the top four.
Speaking on Premier League Daily, Souness said: "If someone would guarantee me a top-four finish for Liverpool, I would sign up right now if I was the Liverpool manager.
"They are in fits and starts. With the element of doubt surrounding [Philippe] Coutinho and their vulnerability at the back, I would take top four right now.
"Liverpool have to stick with Klopp too. He is a good fit for Liverpool. He is a passionate man, wears his heart on his sleeve and Liverpool are that sort of club to give him time."
Liverpool were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Sunday, after Klopp's side earned a comprehensive 7-0 win over Maribor in the Champions League.
Souness believed Klopp's side would have come into their clash with Spurs in a confident mood following their success in Europe, but Liverpool's ongoing defensive problems continued at Wembley.
He added: "The football has been fab, but you look at last weekend at Wembley and they were 2-0 down inside 10 minutes.
"They still had the ball and the chances, but were well beaten. They are not taking their chances. I was hoping after the Maribor result, there would be more belief that they can score those chances, but at Wembley, Dejan Lovren made too many mistakes and all that confidence from midweek disappeared.
"If you are leaking goals as they are, it doesn't matter what football you play because you can't outscore teams. You have to defend properly. You would be far better to be tight and not play attractive football and just nick a game."
Souness also hopes Liverpool can still pursue a deal for Southampton's Virgil van Dijk as they aim to solve their issues in defence.
The Netherlands international was heavily linked with a move to Anfield in the summer, and Souness feels Klopp will go back in for Van Dijk in January.
"The manager put all his eggs in one basket with Virgil van Dijk and I like him as a player, and if he had gone to Liverpool he could have made the difference," added Souness.
"One player makes the difference in my opinion. Jurgen Klopp has kept his powder dry. As a manager, when you can't get your first target do you go and spend on your second, third, fourth choice?
"For Liverpool supporters, they will be hoping they can get Van Dijk at Christmas time or beyond."
The new book by Graeme Souness, 'Football: My Life, My Passion', is out now.
