The Italian has failed to score in nine Premier League appearances this season and been criticised for a perceived lack of effort, but remains upbeat about his form

Mario Balotelli remains unconcerned by his slow start to life at Liverpool and insists he will re-find his goalscoring touch.

The Italian moved to Anfield from Milan in August for a fee thought to be in the region of €21 million, as manager Brendan Rodgers attempted to replace the influential Luis Suarez.

But Balotelli has struggled to recreate the form that saw him net 26 times in 43 Serie A appearances at Milan, with the 24-year-old yet to get off the mark in nine Premier League outings this campaign, though he has found the net twice in cup competitions.

Many have criticised Balotelli’s perceived lack of effort since arriving on Merseyside but when asked how he would rate his performances out of 10, he replied with “seven, because I run more than before”.

“The goals, they will come,” he told Fox Sports Australia. “It is something that’s just not coming at the moment. But it’s not something that has just gone.

“Run, like I’m running now, I’ve never run like this.

“I don’t need people to believe in me so long as I believe in myself. The important people for me are my family and my few close friends, as long as they believe in me.

“Some think because I didn’t score and didn’t start well this season that I can’t be one of the top players, a really good player for this team. That’s their business.

“I don’t care what stories people say about me because I know they are lying.”

The Liverpool striker was due to return to first-team action following his recovery from a calf problem, but could now be unavailable for another six weeks

Daniel Sturridge’s latest injury setback has left the Liverpool striker “at a really low point,” according to team-mate Jordan Henderson.

Sturridge returned to full first-team training last week after recovering from a calf problem, but has suffered a thigh injury which could rule him out of action for a further six weeks.

Henderson says Sturridge has been left “devastated” by the injury and the Liverpool squad is disappointed to have lost the England international.

“It is a big blow, not only for the team but for him as well,” Henderson told ESPN.

“He is devastated, at a really low point really because he was looking forward to getting back playing. He felt good so it is disappointing for us as a team and him personally.

“We have to make sure as team-mates we are strong for him because he is doing everything he can in the gym and on the training field to get back as quick as he can. Hopefully he has a quick recovery, a speedy recovery and he comes back firing on all cylinders.”

Liverpool have laboured in Sturridge’s absence, slipping to 11th in the Premier League table after a season in which they narrowly missed out on the title.

Henderson believes the added pressure of playing extra games in the Champions League could be effecting the Anfield side’s form.

“I am not sure [why we are struggling],” he added. “We are doing the same things, we are working really hard in training, [but] the games come thick and fast when you are playing Champions League and the cup games as well.

“You have got to try and deal with that as best you can. It was obviously going to be a shock for us but hopefully as the season goes on then we will be a little bit more used to it.”

The player’s representative has admitted that the Brazil international is unhappy with his lack of game time at Anfield and would like to be reunited with Rafael Benitez

Lucas Leiva’s agent has revealed that the midfielder could leave Liverpool during the January transfer window and that a move to Napoli would appeal to his client.

The Brazil international has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield this season, with the 27-year-old having been afforded just two Premier League starts by Reds boss Brendan Rodgers.

Consequently, Lucas’ representative, Henrique Coelho, has admitted that the former Gremio man could be tempted to move elsewhere in search of regular first-team football.

“Is it possible that Lucas could leave Liverpool in January? Yes, naturally,” the agent admitted in an interview with Calciomercato.com.

When asked if his client would, therefore, be interested in being reunited with Rafael Benitez at Napoli, Coelho replied: “Lucas likes him a lot.

“After all, the two know each other well from when the Spaniard was coaching Liverpool.”

Benitez signed Lucas from Gremio in the summer of 2007 for a reported €6 million and, after a lengthy adaptation period at Anfield, the midfield enforcer went on to establish himself as a regular in the Reds’ starting line-up.

The South American was heavily linked with a move to the San Paolo last summer but Napoli’s failure to qualify for the Champions League group stages – and the resulting loss of revenue – reportedly played a part in the Partenopei’s inability to push through a deal.