Liverpool must move to sign a top class striker or forget about qualifying for the Champions League again next season, according to former defender Steve Nicol.

The Reds enjoyed a fantastic 2013/14 campaign in which Brendan Rodgers took the title fight with Manchester City to the final day of the season.

Much of their success was put down to the form of Luis Suarez, with the Uruguayan netting 31 goals in the league.

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But despite the Uruguayan having penned a new contract over the winter he is now a Barcelona player, with the La Liga giants having swooped to land the striker in a £75m deal.

Liverpool have since been active in the transfer market to snap up fresh talent, yet the collapse of a potential deal for Loic Remy over the weekend is seen as a big blow with no like-for-like replacement for Suarez having been drafted in.

Nicol feels that unless Rodgers gets in a top class goalscorer to help Daniel Sturridge his old club have no chance of finishing in the top four:

“If they don’t sign another centre-forward they’ll struggle to get back into the top four,” he told talkSPORT.

“There doesn’t seem to be anybody available who has Loic Remy’s track record. It’s bad news for Liverpool more than anyone else.

“Remy is going to go back to QPR and he’s going to score goals. Harry Redknapp is the one who is going to benefit.

“You can’t expect Daniel Sturridge to do it all on his own.

“He’s shown he can play up front, score goals and carry the team for a certain amount of time. Without another striker though, in case he gets injured, they are up the creek without a paddle.

“There isn’t another striker currently at the club that is going to take them into the top four, never mind challenge for the Premier League title.

“Liverpool are in trouble. They have to find somebody and I’m not sure where they’re going to find them.”

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