Tuesday, 23rd September, 2014
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has defended Steven Gerrard for his recent lacklustre displays by saying that he has “no concerns” about his skipper.
The midfielder, who retired from England duty after the World Cup in the summer, has put in mixed performances for the Reds thus far this season, being criticised for giving a leaky defence a lack of protection.
And with Liverpool competing in four tournaments this term, it is feared that Gerrard’s performance level may drop further over a long and tiring season.
However Rodgers, who still considers the 34-year-old as a vital player for his side, is confident about Gerrard being fresh for the entire length of the campaign.
But the manager was quick to add that the ex-England captain may not play all the matches and could be reserved for “big games” due to his experience.
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"I have no concerns about him – he is a brilliant player for us", Rodgers told Liverpool’s official site.
"We have managed his recovery really well in the last two seasons, even when Steven was playing international football.
"If you look at his numbers and games, it has been as good as ever. He is at the age where we need to treat him individually.
"We want him to be involved in the big games because of his experience and we will always taper that recovery to allow him to be at the very best he can be."
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