Fuel Pump Quagmire

My fuel pump on my 94 Cherokeejust crapped out on me today...and when I bought the new one the strainer looks as if it should go onto the pump itself (and it does fit perfectly too). But this pump is at the top of the tank and and I have no idea how any fuel is supposed to get from the tank through the strainer. Is there a hose or something that I am not seeing? Any help would be good. Thanks.

I'm not sure exactly on the Cherokee, but a lot of electric fuel pumps do have a hose that has a small filtering screen at the end of it. Your description makes me think that this does not since the filter mounts to the pump in the manner that you said. Pumps create pressure within the tank and "pulls" the gas to it, so the pump doesn't have to sit right on the bottom of the tank. If it did, it would constantly have trash in it. I would say that no, there should be no hose and yes it is normal for it to sit in from the top like that. A lot of GM vehicles are the same way.