The sale of Liverpool may be off the radar screen but there's plenty more to trouble manager Roy Hodgson heading into a Europa League match with Napoli Thursday, starting with star striker Fernando Torres.

Wayne Rooney's probable departure from Manchester United during the January transfer window has Hodgson fearing a move for Torres, who if not for the ownership turmoil swirling about the club might have departed during the summer.

Hodgson admits that the departure of managing director Christian Purslow a few days ago caught him unawares: "I had no idea before today that Christian was going to leave the club. I believe I have the backing of the club, and I want to continue with the rebuilding job that we have here. We knew it was a big job, and as far as I am concerned nothing has changed."

Nothing except the ownership and the club's senior executives, including Purslow, who just happened to support his hiring, that is. Mired in the relegation zone, Liverpool under Hodgson has yet to convince observers that better times are ahead.