Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson insists his long-term plans haven't gone off the rails after recent dismal results.
With new owners almost in place, Hodgson, who faced calls to quit after the humiliating home defeat against Blackpool on Sunday, has promised that the club's fortunes on the pitch will be boosted in the light of the deal.
He said: "Unfortunately when you lose matches, especially games like Sunday that people don't expect you to lose, it colours everything.
"It comes on the back of a Carling Cup defeat, albeit with a second team, so that adds to the woe - but in actually fact not much has changed.
"We know what we've got to do, we know we need some new players, we know we need investment, and we know we are weak in certain areas of the team - these things have been the case since I arrived at the club and we haven't had chance to put things right.
"What I ask of the fans is their patience, their trust and their belief, because we will get it right - there are no doubts about that. The club will be in a pretty healthy situation in general terms if the sale goes through."
