“I never worry about the players, the players have been absolutely brilliant”. All he can do is control how he prepares his team on a Saturday and when he sends them over that line, he’s like me, praying to the Gods, that they produce. “There is no question about that”, Rodgers said.
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“It’s been a frustrating few games before now and I maybe could have been on the scoresheet before but I’m delighted to do that”, stand-in captain Milner told the club’s website.
“It’s not about proving people wrong”.
“There are very short memories in football“, Rodgers explained.
“Even though we’d like to have done better than where we are, we’re five points from the top. I know that and everyone can see that now”. “You just get on with it”. That’s how it works. That’s sad. I am the same man who almost won us the league, but better.
“Yes, because he is in that elite band of player that we’ve seen here”, he added.
Milner gave Brendan Rodgers’s side the ideal start against Villa, scoring in the second minute at Anfield as Liverpool claimed a much-needed 3-2 win. “That is the way football is now – social media and Sky Sports apps, and everything like that”, Milner said.
“There is so much scrutiny but that comes with being a footballer now”.
We’re less than a fifth of the way through the Premier League season but already more than quarter of top-flight teams are under increased pressure to perform.
Liverpool sold Luis Suarez to Barcelona that summer, while a series of injuries saw Daniel Sturridge – who scored a brace against Villa – make only 18 appearances in 2014-15 as they ended the season in sixth.
“With the signings we have made it will take time to get to know each other but we want to win games while we are doing that”.
After that fixture there is another worldwide break and then Villa go into a set of hard fixtures with Chelsea, Swansea, Tottenham and Manchester City on the horizon.
“It was nice to get on the scoresheet and it’s a big result for us”, he said.
This may go against the club’s policy in a major way but it also displays that Klopp needs to feel trusted in his position. When things are going well it gets blown out of context and the same when it is bad.
“It’s not rocket science”.
“Every manager is under pressure; that’s the nature of the job now”, said opposite number Tim Sherwood.
“Preparation is second to none”.
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And the Northern Irish coach came out of the game in a similarly bullish mood, saying he was confused by the “hysteria” surrounding his future at the club.
