Reina: We can't compete with the big teams

By FOX Sports Staff

Reina was at fault for allowing City to register a draw against his side over the weekend. The Spaniard's ill-judged sprint to the corner of his area allowed Sergio Aguero to chip the ball over him and level the scores at 2-2.

He has also produced several other poor performances during this campaign, prompting many to hold him culpable for the jittery Reds backline that has conceded more than all the teams above them. 

 Reina, however, believes that such finger-pointing is not helpful and openly confessed his belief that Liverpool are not as strong as the other top-tier sides in the Premier League.

"I think with the likes of City, United and Chelsea, they have a big edge over us at the moment, both financially and squad-wise," the goalkeeper told Marca.

"There's a reason they are so many points ahead of us, and it's not because of one or two better players. Right now we can't compete with the big guns.

"Some people say I've had a bad season, but honestly I think I only had three poor matches, at the beginning of the year.

"It's been a strange season for me because I've missed lots of games with injury. This has been the most unsettled season, both personally and as a team, since I joined the club.

"Liverpool is going through a transitional period, with new ideas and a different playing philosophy. That takes time. People have to be patient. It's normal for us to be erratic."

Reina was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League until recently and won the Golden Glove award for three straight seasons from 2006 onwards. He does remain highly-rated as a custodian in Europe, despite his poor form of late, and has been continually linked with a switch to Barcelona, the club his father played for. 

Barcelona will also be in need of a goalkeeper as Victor Valdes, their current number 1, is expected to leave the club after 11 seasons of service following his decision to rebuff a contract offer. 

They may struggle to prise Reina away from Merseyside, though, as the 30-year-old declared in the same interview: "I have a Liverpool contract and I'm only thinking of playing for the club - I am calm.

"My dad has a past with Barca, he has affection for the club and perhaps that's why he said it [that Pepe should join Barcelona]. He wants the best for me. But I have a contract here and I have nothing else to say [about] this.

"For me, Barca is the best in the world, for greatness and for style ... and Atletico are starting to equip themselves well, with a great coach. 

"They are two great clubs. They are the two clubs where my father played and two great teams."