Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has admitted that the club are a long way off from competing for the Premier League title.

The shot-stopper bemoaned the financial muscle and depth of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea and told Spanish newspaper Marca, reported by Sky Sports, that the club have some way to go before a return to the Premier League summit.

Big Guns

“Right now we can’t compete with the big guns,” said Reina.

“They have a big edge over us at the moment, both financially and squad-wise. There’s a reason they are so many points ahead of us, and it’s not because of one or two better players.”

The Reds held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw on Sunday to claim a well-deserved point, but it could have been more had Reina not been so rash off his line allowing Sergio Aguero a magnificent equaliser by chipping the goalkeeper.

The Spain international has been criticised this season for a number of errors between the sticks, but insists that he is playing to the best of his ability.

Strange Season

“It’s been a strange season for me because I’ve missed lots of games with injury.

“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.”

After their draw, the club currently sit seventh in the Premier League table and a massive 26 points behind old title rivals Manchester United.

Reina acknowledges that new manager Brendan Rodgers must be given time to reshape the squad and stamp his mark on the Merseysiders, before any talk of a title charge can begin again.

“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.”