Former Liverpool boss Phil Thompson says it's crucial for the club not to allow Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to follow Rafa Benitez out of Anfield.

Thompson claimed Benitez's replacement would have to make keeping Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres at the club his priority.

"We need our star players if we are going to make any impact next year," he told Sky Sports News.

"Not just impact on the playing field, we have a worldwide fanbase of over 100 million people. They need star names, they need people to cling to and that is why we need Torres and Gerrard to stay there.

"It's wrong looking at it as 'will they be more likely to stay now because Benitez has gone?'. It's certainly a difficult situation.

"Hopefully when they make a decision and somebody different comes in, maybe they'll make the players commit at least for another 12 months."