Former Tottenham and Barcelona boss Terry Venables believes Andy Carroll has been made a scapegoat at Liverpool.

El Tel wrote in The Sun: "Now I am not saying he has had the best of times since Liverpool forked out that astronomical sum to sign him from Newcastle 15 months ago.

"Carroll's paltry eight goals in 48 appearances in all competitions for the Kop is blatantly a poor return.

"Especially as he has failed to regularly reproduce the all-action and high-impact displays of his time at the Toon.

"There have been glimpses, but nowhere near enough.

"The enormous transfer fee - despite it being nothing of his own making whatsoever - appears to have weighed round his neck like to 10-ton albatross. Has he been worth the money? No. Not yet.

"But nor is he solely to blame for ALL of Anfield's ills - like some would have you believe.

"His team-mates and the manager must take a long hard look at themselves and share some of the responsibility, too.

"The likes of Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and skipper Steven Gerrard have hardly helped Carroll's cause on Merseyside this term."