Everton's defenders have scored more goals than Liverpool's strikers

Brendan Rodger's side are set to fall short of Champions League qualification

Mario Balotelli (GETTY IMAGES)

Liverpool fell just short of winning the Premier League title last season, making the near certainty that they won't even finish in the top four this term even more acute.

Defeat to relegation threatened Hull on Tuesday night means they will need the wheels to come off Manchester United during the run-in to stand any chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

With such a disappointing campaign coming to a conclusion, fans and pundits are looking for someone to blame.

Some are calling for Brendan Rodgers to go, others have blamed it on the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona. But a staggering statistic perhaps suggests it's Liverpool's strikers who are at fault.

Incredibly, Everton's defenders have score more Premier League goals than Liverpool's strikers.

The four regulars at the back in the blue half of Merseyside, Phil Jagielka (3), Seamus Coleman (3), Leighton Baines (2) and John Stones (1) have all had joy in front of goal, giving them a combined total of nine goals.

Phil Jagielka (AFP/Getty)

Meanwhile, Anfield's four specialist strikers Daniel Sturridge (4), Ricky Lambert (2), Mario Balotelli (1) and Fabio Borini (1) have managed just eight.