The Northern Irishman phoned his former mentor to congratulate him for the Blues’ victory at Anfield but says he stands by his post-match comments

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has no regrets over criticising Jose Mourinho after his side’s loss to Chelsea.

A 2-0 loss at Anfield on April 27 dealt a huge blow to the Reds’ Premier League chances, with Mourinho criticised for his team’s negative style.

Rodgers, who has since congratulated his Portuguese counterpart for the win, said he was right to slam Chelsea’s defensive approach.

“I was a bit frustrated but I don’t regret what I said,” the Northern Irishman told reporters. “I am big enough to respect the man Jose is and the manager he is.

“He is a great man, I know that. It was never personal; it was a professional look at the game.

“I am never one to say that my way is always the best way. I have a huge appreciation for the way he works and his team. But I still think what I said was right. I knew exactly what I was saying.”

Liverpool were also criticised after the loss for lacking a ‘plan B’ as their possession-based style rarely looked like breaking Chelsea down.

But Rodgers insists he remains confident in his team’s footballing philosophy.

“I get the stuff about having a plan B or a plan C all the time but if people think we need to get a six-foot five-inch striker then they are wrong,” he added.

“It is clear to me that my methods work. On any given day, sometimes it doesn’t.

“I have said that if we don’t win the title this season it will be because of a mistake or a bit of bad luck – and that’s what happened against Chelsea.

“But the message I gave to the players was not to grieve over the result, because that’s what can happen.

“We’ve scored 96 goals so far this season, so I think we are doing okay when it comes to creativity.”