Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is well aware of criticism coming his way this season.

He made it clear that the criticism of his own performances hurts him, but accepts that is the life as a player or manager at one of the world's biggest clubs.

"It comes with the territory," he told the Daily Mail. "There was a stage when a couple of my performances were under par and I got a bit of stick. It's normal. I've got to accept it being captain of the club and Brendan's got to accept it being the manager of Liverpool.

"If results don't go well, questions are going to be asked, criticism is going to fly, you take it on the chin and try to improve things. That's the only way. I know when I don't play well. I think every individual does, but collectively it has been tough.

"For me I've experienced it a few times during my career at Liverpool when it gets tough under certain managers and from the outside people are trying to kill you. It's normal. We're at a big club, we've got to take that responsibility. We can't have players hiding, we need men out there."