Carra calls for character

Jamie Carragher has called on Liverpool to show more character on their travels.

Jamie Carragher has called on Liverpool to show more character on their travels after seeing The Reds' Premiership campaign blighted by poor away form.

The Anfield outfit are a full 14 points shy of leaders Manchester United after just 12 games, with their away performances contributing just one point to the disappointing tally.

A 3-0 reversal against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday was the latest bout of travel sickness for Rafa Benitez's men, and even though the title has not yet been conceded, high pre-season expectations have already come crashing down around the Merseysiders.

Highlighting Liverpool's desperately poor away form as the main factor in their recent slump, Carragher urged his team-mates to show more character on the road in order to spark a renaissance in the club's fortunes.

"We've got to show more character away from home, particularly when we go a goal down," said Carragher in The Mirror.

"Showing the right character is one of the qualities I've always been proud to be associated with most, so it hurts me to think people don't think we're showing enough of it now.

"In these type of games, the first goal is always important because of the quality of the opposition.

"It's the same when we score first. It's a long time since we lost a game in which we scored first, so we've got to do more to get ourselves in front in away games.

"A lot of the toughest away fixtures have gone and we know we've got to make sure we improve on our away performances."

A determined Carragher will not yet concede that a title challenge is beyond The Reds, but the defender has admitted that a UEFA Champions League finish is now the priority for Benitez's side.

"We'll never throw the towel in at Liverpool, but the first thing we've got to do is to get ourselves into the top four," Carragher added.

"We had big ambitions at the start of the season, which is only right at a club like Liverpool, but we also know it's important to make sure we're in the top four as soon as possible."

However goalkeeper Jose Reina does believe a first Premiership title is already out of Liverpool's grasp, and that Europe represents The Reds' best chance of success in the coming months.

"Fourth place is our target now, we have to fight for that," said Reina in The Sun.

"The title is too far away for us because mathematically Manchester United and Chelsea are very superior.

"We are probably a better team in the Champions League than in The Premiership. We have a lot of confidence in Europe.

"It is not a problem at home - but games away to top sides like Arsenal are always difficult."