The striker is yet to score in the Premier League since joining with AC Milan during the summer, and missed two more glorious opportunities during Saturday’s 0-0 draw

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was pleased with Mario Balotelli’s showing in Saturday’s goalless Premier League draw with Hull City.

The striker has struggled since joining from AC Milan, having found the net only once in 11 outings for the club, and faced further criticism after swapping shirts with Real Madrid Pepe at half-time on Wednesday.

Balotelli retained his place in Rodgers’ starting XI on Saturday but missed two glorious chances to score the winner, including one in the final moments at Anfield, but Rodgers was still content with what he saw.

“It was a big chance and we had one or two of those in the game but we couldn’t quite put the ball in the net,” Rodgers told reporters, referring to the late chance.

“I thought he worked very well and very hard. He maybe thought he wasn’t going to play today but you’ve got to stay with it. You’ve seen he is working hard and at the moment he is doing his best.

“Unfortunately it’s that wee bit of confidence, sometimes when you don’t get that goal, that he might lack a little. But he kept going, kept getting into the [right] areas and I thought he and Rickie Lambert worked well when [Lambert] came on.

“I’m a little bit frustrated we didn’t win the game but performance-wise I’m happy and our reaction to the midweek game.”

A win would have been Liverpool’s third top-flight victory in a row but the hosts were unable to break down a resolute Hull backline.

With the injured Daniel Sturridge some way off returning, Rodgers feels Balotelli’s workrate off the field will stand him in good stead to lead the line for Liverpool.

“I’ve only been working with him a short period of time and I gauge it first and foremost on the training field,” he continued.

“Sometimes, when it’s not going well, players will have a day when they don’t train or work. But he puts himself out to train every single day.

“He’s out there wanting to be better, wanting to improve. It’s just not quite happening for him in terms of [scoring].

“You saw today, he worked very hard. He knows he needs to run and work and press here. He was just unlucky really that he didn’t get the goal.”

Brendan Rodgers continued to keep faith with the Italy international but he again failed to find the back of the net as a miserable week for the Merseysiders ended in stalemate

Liverpool misfired again at Anfield as Hull City held on to secure a creditable point in Saturday’s Premier League clash.

Brendan Rodgers kept faith with Mario Balotelli and again started with him despite his disappointing performance against Real Madrid in midweek although the Italian failed to fire as Steve Bruce’s side held on for the draw.

More to follow…

The trio have been included on a 40 strong list of candidates who have been nominated for the award, with past winners including Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero

Bayer Leverkusen youngster Hakan Calhanoglu, Liverpool star Raheem Sterling and Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi are among the names on a 40-man shortlist for the 2014 Golden Boy award.

The award recognises footballers under the age of 21 who are bursting with talent, with many on the list having enjoyed breakthrough years that have seen them make decisive contributions for their clubs.

Calhanoglu’s excellent performances for Hamburg saw him earn a summer move to Leverkusen in the summer, while Sterling has made a great contribution to his side’s excellent year and has also been heavily involved for England.

Berardi has been in fine form since kicking of 2014 with a magnificent showing in their 4-3 win over AC Milan the highlight. The forward has started the current campaign well, too, having scored two and set up two in four league games.

Paris Saint-Germain youngster Adrien Rabiot, Juventus’ Kingsley Coman, Sevilla’s Barcelona loanee Gerard Deulofeu and PSV’s Jetro Willems are all included in the strong list of candidates for the accolade.

The award, established by Tuttosport in 2003 and voted for by journalists at major newspapers across Europe, is handed to the player under the age of 21 who is deemed to have been the most outstanding performer over the calendar year.

Previous recipients include Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas and Mario Balotelli. Last year’s winner was Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

THE LIST IN FULL: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Franco Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Bruma (Galatasaray), Hakan Calhanoglu (Bayer Leverkusen), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Kingsley Coman (Juventus), Gerard Deulofeu (Sevilla), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Gianluca Gaudino (Bayern Munich), Mathias Ginter (Borussia Dortmund), Derlis Gonzalez (Basel), Julian Green (Hamburg), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Bayern Munich), Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United), Keita Balde Diao (Lazio), Mateo Kovacic (Inter), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Lazar Markovic (Liverpool), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Benjamin Mendy (Marseille), Maximilian Meyer (Schalke), Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax), Aleksandr Mitrovic (Anderlecht), Munir El Haddai (Barcelona), Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid), Nikola Ninkovic (Partizan Belgrade), Lucas Ocampos (Monaco), Divock Origi (Lille), Denis Praet (Anderlecht), Adrien Rabiot (Paris Saint-Germain), Sandro Ramirez (Barcelona), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), John Stones (Everton), Oliver Torres (Porto), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Jetro Willems (PSV), Luka Zahovic (Maribor), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)