You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Glen Johnson admits Liverpool require an overhaul this summer to rekindle their Premier League challenge – and believes he will be part of it.

Hopes of Champions League qualification were all but extinguished with a dismal 1-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Hull City on Tuesday night.

The Reds have lost three of their last five top-flight games to drop seven points adrift of the top four with only four games remaining.

Recent performances have increased scrutiny on boss Brendan Rodgers and the club’s transfer committee.

And Johnson, who expects to leave when his contract expires in June, anticipates more upheaval in the coming months to ensure Liverpool hit the ground running next season.

“There need to be changes,” said the defender. “It’s the same every year and every team is going to try and do their business in the summer to try and make themselves stronger for the following the season.

“The club needs to do that too.

“We have some fantastic young players, but we say the same every year – we always have some good young players coming through.

“The club has got some business to do in the summer with current players and new players and it’s just about trying to get the squad as strong as possible for the start.”

Asked if he expects to leave in the summer, Johnson responded: “Of course, I have no contract! I don’t think that will change, but we have to wait and see.

“I have always been professional all season, always wanted to play and that’s still what I doing.

“I’ve got four more games and then let’s see what we do in the summer.”

Liverpool are now increasingly resigned to dropping into the Europa League next season.

The competition is viewed dimly in some sections of the Premier League, but Johnson insists there is no suggestion of the Reds easing off in the closing weeks to avoid qualification.

“Every team wants to finish as high in the Premier League as possible,” said Johnson.

“With the Europa League, you do get a lot more games, but it’s a competition you would rather be in than not.“We’re all professionals. Otherwise we would not be at a club like Liverpool.

“Whether this is my last season or not, you still want to be in or around the top four.

“We’ve got four more games to concentrate on to try and get a few more points. That’s what we will concentrate on doing.

“Is the Champions League gone? Obviously not yet, but it’s looking unlikely.”

Liverpool have failed to take advantage of fourth-placed Manchester United losing their last two Premier League games by taking only one point in the same period.

And Johnson added: “The Hull defeat was very disappointing. I didn’t think we performed that bad, but it’s clearly not the result we were after.

“Hull are fighting for their lives and they’re good at what they do. And if you let teams like that go in front, it’s always hard to come into the game when they sit back and make it very difficult.

“We had an opportunity to get three points, but we didn’t take it.”