Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson gave a spirited response to criticism of his side’s stuttering start to the season, ahead of their 4-1 Anfield victory over Steaua Bucharest in Europa League Group K.

The Reds have so far swept all before them in European club football’s secondary competition. And an impressive second-half performance gave them victory over the Romanian former European Cup winners.

Joe Cole had given the Reds the lead after just 25 seconds, but they were only ahead for 12 minutes and struggled to impose themselves for the rest of the first half.

However, David Ngog’s 55^th-minute penalty settled their remaining nerves. Substitute Lucas Leiva’s stunning 25-yard drive with virtually his first touch ensured victory. And Ngog’s stoppage-time drive gave the Frenchman his fifth goal of the season in the competition

 

But they have struggled in the EPL with only two goals and four points to show for their first four games, the latest of which was a disappointing goalless draw at Birmingham, where only two world-class saves from Spanish keeper Pepe Reina prevented defeat.

Liverpool’s Europa League exploits allowed Hodgson to refer to a record of “played eight, won five, drawn two and lost one.”

But there have been concerns over the team’s form, especially that of misfiring Spanish striker Fernando Torres ahead of the key EPL clash with their bitterest rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford this coming Sunday.

Torres’ display at Birmingham was described by TV pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Redknapp as “diabolical.”

Redknapp said that the Spaniard, who has netted only once this season, looked disinterested as well as out-of-form.

Hodgson retorted: “It is very wrong for people to read someone’s state of mind from watching them play 90 minutes of football.”

About the team in general, Hodgson claimed they hadn’t made “a bad start to the season by any stretch of the imagination.

“It is a new team and it has been a tough start to the season. But when a lot of players have left or have been in danger of leaving and there are new players coming in; when you have the documented problem we have with ownership and a World Cup year, it all adds up.”

His pointed reference to the ownership “problem” echoed comments he made last week when denying that it was “pessimistic” to dismiss Liverpool’s title challenge under the current ownership, adding: “The problems with the ownership are well-documented.”

Hodgson also said last week that the club were “unbelievably over-staffed when I came and, if the truth be known, we are still over-staffed” which was interpreted as a warning that more fringe players could be on their way out of Anfield this season.

On the injury front, Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt has said he hopes to back in contention for Liverpool’s starting line-up when they visit his former club FC Utrecht in their next Europa League fixture in two weeks time.

Kuyt injured his shoulder in a Dutch national side training session two weeks ago.