Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed that the Reds are not 24 points behind Manchester United “in terms of quality” after the league leaders increased their advantage over their rivals with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Rodgers’ team now lie in eighth place but the Northern Irishman says the gulf between the two North West clubs is due to United’s superior squad depth.

The former Swansea boss, who is in his first season in the Liverpool hot seat, is confident that he can return the Anfield side to title contention if he is given the means to add to his current group of players.

“We’re 24 points behind United now,” Rodgers told reporters. “But we’re not 24 points behind in terms of quality. The points difference is due to the squad.

“That’s the difference for us, the depth of the squad. Once we close the gap in the squad in the coming transfer windows, I’ve got great faith in the fact that we’ll be able to challenge.

“I’ve seen enough hope in these opening months that we will do that, and today was another example of that.”

Rodgers has been able to add Daniel Sturridge to his ranks in the current transfer window and the England international appeared as a half-time substitute to good effect, pouncing when David de Gea could only parry Steven Gerrard’s shot to halve the deficit.

With Fabio Borini also returning from the bench after three months on the sidelines with a broken foot, the 39-year-old is hopeful that the attacking burden on top scorer Luis Suarez will be eased.

“The most important thing is getting in good players and what we’ve got in these players is that they’re all flexible,” Rodgers added.

“Borini can play through the middle and also off the side. We’ve seen Suarez all season playing through the middle, but he’s spent a lot of his career playing off the side, likewise with Daniel.

“So it’s about getting good players on the field who can fit into the model and fit into the structure. We needed goalscorers in the club and I think we’ve got that now.”

Rodgers also referenced the FA Cup third round tie against Nottingham Forest in 1990 that is often noted as United’s turning point under Sir Alex Ferguson and claimed that a similar milestone may not be too far away for Liverpool.

“This [Manchester United] is a football club that has dominated for many years,” Rodgers reflected. “People still talk about the game against Nottingham Forest as a defining moment.

“We’ve got great hope that that will happen here. It’s a long journey for us but we believe we can do it.”

COMMENT
By Matt Scott

Value for money at the Emirates

There was a reason the tickets were so expensive after all.

Fans of both Arsenal and Manchester City moaned at having to pay £62 (€75) to watch their teams square off, but it turned out to be one of the bargains of the century.

Those in attendance were treated to a feast of variety entertainment – with something for absolutely everyone.

GOOD WEEKEND

Romelu Lukaku His West Brom team-mates may have binned off a two-goal lead to lose at Reading, but the bulky Belgian’s double makes sure he’s still the best striker under contract at Chelsea. Danny Welbeck The Fresh Prince of Longsight managed to earn rave reviews by running around a bit, despite being a health hazard to fans at Old Trafford as he spannered every one of his shots into the stands.

Things kicked off with a tear-jerking tragedy as a hapless Laurent Koscielny, driven to despair by Edin Dzeko’s sight of goal, was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Frenchman’s tragic tale highlighted just how far people are willing to go when desperate, and left many in attendance re-evaluating their own lives afterwards.

After a tug on the heartstrings, it was time for a tense thriller as Dzeko and Wojciech Szczesny starred in ‘The Penalty’.

Szczesny was a goalkeeper in peril, facing the petrifying sight of the towering Bosnian with a free shot at taking the young keeper’s clean sheet, and with that – his pride, dignity and sweetheart.

Dzeko confidently stepped up, fired a single shot, but Szczesny leaped to his left. The ball looked destined for the net, and the Pole’s dreams were surely crushed – but his right leg flicked out, sending the ball bobbling across the line.

Inches away from death or glory, the ball nudged back of the post, tumbling for an eternity across the line before miraculously nestling in Szczesny’s arms – the day was saved!

Fans of bloody-minded action were soothed by explosions and fireworks courtesy of James Milner’s right foot and Vincent Kompany’s kung-fu scene with Jack Wilshere.

A small pocket of people in attendance who had come to see European expressive dance were also catered for, with Per Mertesacker’s interpretation of a new-born pelican in the face of Mike Dean.

Conclusion? If you want to get your money’s worth in the Premier League, head to the Emirates.

“Places, people! We have a show to run!”

Quote of the weekend

“They’ve paid £62 over there, go and see them.”

– Linesman John Brooks with a lesson in humility for Joleon Lescott.

BAD WEEKEND

Poltical correctness Sian Massey found herself highlighted this weekend with a particularly excellent offside call as Stoke appealed for a penalty against Chelsea on Saturday. Unfortunately, the male footballing world, including Tony Pulis, then proceeded to call her “the lady linesman” when praising the decision. *Facepalm* Norwich & Newcastle The out-of-form Canaries and Magpies conspired to dish out possibly the most turgid 90 minutes of football ever seen in the English top-flight in their 0-0 draw on Saturday. When both managers can only come up with being happy with a clean sheet, you know it’s been pants.

Benitez getting his own back

He came. He got booed. He’s had enough.

Like a fed-up mother withdrawing her son’s Playstation controller until he does his maths homework, Rafa Benitez is punishing Chelsea’s fans for their recent behaviour.

Until they buck their ideas up and show some respect, the team will not be putting in good performances at home.

However, they will continue battering teams on the road, just to show everyone at Stamford Bridge what they’re missing out on.

If the Blues’ fans want Eden Hazard playing well at the Bridge, they will be nice to Benitez, maybe sing a song about how he’s going to win them lots of trophies and stop wittering on about Roberto Di Matteo.

The fans will have a chance to prove they’ve learnt their lesson against Southampton on Wednesday, but if their behaviour does not improve, Rafa will have no choice but to let Arsenal win in west London next weekend.

Shed End. You’ve been warned.

Brendan Rodgers is going to need more envelopes

Liverpool aren’t having the best of seasons, with the club very much in transition from a successful club that can challenge for honours to snoozy perennial mid-tablers.

Brendan Rodgers saw his side completely dominated by Manchester United on Sunday, before Daniel Sturridge came on for his one-man band cameo.

The Ulsterman cringe-inducingly claimed in ‘Being:Liverpool’ that he had written the names of three players who he believed would let him down this season, and concealed them in envelopes.

Well, between Pepe Reina’s failure to kick the ball out of his own half, Andre Wisdom’s inability to mark, tackle, dribble, pass, cross or shoot, Joe Allen’s insistence on passing exclusively to United players, Lucas Leiva’s incredible vanishing act in midfield, Raheem Sterling’s apparent refusal to beat a man and Luis Suarez’s monumental big-game bottling – the Rodge might need to take a trip to the post office for extras.

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COMMENT
By David Lynch

Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon provided a somewhat depressing microcosm of the club’s season so far.

Things started off in typically disappointing fashion, as a toothless Reds were dominated for the first 45 minutes at Old Trafford and found themselves one goal down thanks to Robin van Persie’s deft flick beyond Pepe Reina.

However, the manner in which the Spaniard subsequently managed to keep out Shinji Kagawa with seconds of the first period remaining provided that most damaging of emotions: hope.

Whilst this might have been temporarily extinguished as Patrice Evra – or Nemanja Vidic, as it eventually transpired – doubled United’s lead early in the second half, the visitors were able to take the rather unusual step of changing things at the top end of the pitch.

Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini entered the fray – one at half-time and another 17 minutes later – in an attempt to salvage a result from what appeared a certain defeat. That they came so close to doing so will perhaps have left a bitter taste in the mouth of the travelling support, but these are the green shoots which manager Brendan Rodgers must cling to in defeat.

Arguably, against a side who have defended poorly this season despite their status as league leaders, Liverpool had needed this extra attacking punch from the get go. Borini’s inability to start due to a lack of match fitness as he returns from a foot injury is, of course, an unavoidable piece of misfortune, but that Sturridge is in the same boat after arriving in January is criminal.

To underline their complete subordination to the Red Devils in the first half, Liverpool mustered just one shot on goal, and even that did not hit the target. In the second, the introduction of Borini and Sturridge resulted in 12 further attempts, with three of those bringing a save out of the underworked David de Gea.

But, much like Sturridge’s move to the club, it proved all too late. The former Chelsea man may have sparked a revival in terms of performance with his follow-in goal, but the visitors had given themselves too much to do with half an hour remaining.

In fact, Liverpool’s vast improvement in the second half paid tribute to another recurring theme of their season; the manager’s failure to get his starting line-up correct. This was not the first occasion that the Northern Irishman has shown a knack for changing a game with his substitutions, but he would perhaps make things easier by not causing the problems he is forced to solve in the first place.

The 39-year-old is a young boss who is clearly learning on the job; a situation which is far from ideal for a club with such lofty aspirations. That said, his changes hinted at taking such errors on board, and the Merseyside outfit will certainly need him to learn quickly if things are to change for the better.

The manner in which Sir Alex Ferguson – a manager infinitely more decorated and with 32 years on his counterpart – strangled the life out of the game spoke volumes. United’s superior experience on the pitch also told against an opposition whose average age was an entire year lower.

Of course, Liverpool fans who have waited 20 years for a league title do not want to be told about the importance of patience as they wait for their squad to mature and hope for a long-awaited challenge to their bitter rivals’ dominance. But, in reality, this is a campaign which effectively ended when the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, failed to provide a replacement for Andy Carroll back on August 31.

There is an opportunity for salvation in the remaining 16 games, clearly, but Liverpool’s season must continue to mirror their performance at Old Trafford by improving immeasurably in the second half.

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