Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has reiterated the need to sign attacking support for Fernando Torres but he acknowledges his club's owners may want to wait until next summer.
Since his arrival in July, the Reds manager has made little secret of his desperation to bring strikers to Anfield and he showed interest in West Ham's Carlton Cole, Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez and PSV Eindhoven's Ola Toivonen in August.
Liverpool did not sign reinforcements and David Ngog remains as the only genuine back-up for Torres, who took another step towards full confidence and fitness with a match-winning two goals against Chelsea at the weekend.
Wigan are next on the agenda and Hodgson has indicated he would like to rest Torres, however, he recognises he has limited options and his club's principal new owner, John W Henry, may tell him that is the case for the rest of the season.
"We have tried to protect Fernando as much as we can," said Hodgson in The Times.
"In the European games, Fernando and Steven Gerrard have been the first two I have looked to protect because I do know from past records there has been a lot of suggestions that three games in a week has been too much for them.
"Unfortunately, we don't really have that luxury to make that amount of changes. I believe in David Ngog, but it is difficult to pick him in front of Fernando when he is fit.
"It is one of the things we really need to address in the January transfer window."
He added: "In the middle of the field we have a squad that can compete with the very best.
"But upfront we are definitely short of players to give us the cover that we need. I don't know what we will be able to do in January.
"We could even find a situation where the owners, because we know it's a bad market to buy in, would prefer to just see this season out.
"If that's the case, we will just have to keep doing what we are doing and then make a really big effort in the summer."
Hodgson believes his side are more than capable of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League this season but he will not be making guarantees in a style of predecessor Rafa Benitez.
"I don't wish to play down our chances but I think it is unfair to ask coaches like myself, who have had a bad start to the season and fallen way behind, whether they will be in the top four," said Hodgson.
"My answer will only set me up for ridicule later on. I would like to really discuss our top-four potential when we can really see whether it is a truly viable proposition or not."
Wigan v Liverpool 1st Goalscorer: Torres, F. 7/2
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