Liverpool, Feb 5 (IANS): Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said the Merseyside football club needs a "a different plan" if it is to improve and it has only the sixth-best squad in the English Premier League.

Liverpool on Saturday suffered a shock defeat to Hull City, further compounding their sorry run of form through 2017.

Juergen Klopp's side is now 13 points adrift of leaders Chelsea and in danger of slipping out of the top four.

"People will keep saying they have played a lot of the top teams but in their next home games they have got Tottenham and Arsenal," Carragher was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"You would expect them to do well in those games, they always do, but the majority of matches they have struggled in have come against teams in the bottom half of the table. That's where they have major problems," the former England defender added.

"Off the back of the cup exits, the only thing left for Liverpool is to qualify for the Champions League. If they do, I still think it would make a successful season.

"Liverpool have got the sixth-best squad in the league for me, but I think the quality of the manager puts them where they are."

Carragher also felt they need to tweak their way of playing because more options will not only help resort to multiple tactics but also to surprise the opponents.

"It's getting to the stage now when Liverpool have got to have a different plan. We talk about a Plan B but Liverpool have just one plan. It worked outstanding in the first four or five months of the season but they are in a sticky patch at the moment and I think it's obvious how you set up against them," Carragher said.

"You make it difficult through the centre of the pitch and you counter attack. That's what Hull did and they did it outstandingly well."