Rodgers: Gerrard is phenomenal

The England midfielder has taken the brunt of the criticism for his side's indifferent performances this season, collecting just 16 points from 14 Premier League matches.

Gerrard has scored only once in the league this term, but Rodgers insists he is still a great leader out on the pitch.

"He has carried this club for nearly 13 years, and it's about time there was more than Steven picking up the baton of responsibility for Liverpool," Rodgers said.

"I don't want to focus too much on him, other than that he's been brilliant since I arrived here. His inspiration and leadership within the team has been phenomenal.

"He might not have got the goals he would have wanted this season, but you can see how effective he's been and the quality of his game.

"Against Spurs, his range of passing, his commitment and his drive into the box was superb."

Rodgers also confirmed that Lucas Leiva and Joe Cole could return to the squad for this wee kend's clash with fellow strugglers Southampton at Anfield.

"Joe Cole will come back into contention. He had a scan on an injury but that showed up fine, so he should be available again at the weekend," he added.

"Lucas Leiva will return to the squad, which is great news because he's been working very, very hard and played the reserve game last week. He's been training for a few weeks and looked very good, so we'll look forward to bringing him back in."

Gareth Bale scores at both ends as Liverpool comeback not enough at Tottenham

Gareth Bale was at his flying, unplayable best in the opening quarter-of-an-hour and set up Aaron Lennon's opener before hitting a free-kick for Spurs' second.

Liverpool improved after the break and dominated at White Hart Lane before Bale's own goal, when he was unfortunate to deflect Lennon's goalline clearance, gave them hope.

But Tottenham held on for a victory to follow the weekend win against West Ham United and ensure Andre Villas-Boas' team continue to recover from three previous Premier League defeats.

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool, meanwhile, gave up their eight-game unbeaten run and it was a familiar story of wasted chances and a need to find goalscoring support for Luis Suarez.

The win, which moves Spurs above Arsenal and Everton into fifth, did not come easily - but it did remind the club's critics that in Bale they have a man capable of winning a match almost single-handedly.

Playing at the same high tempo that he lped them to destroy West Ham, Tottenham flew out of the blocks and stamped their authority on the game from the off on a bitterly cold night in North London.

Bale was key to Tottenham's quick start and the early pressure paid off as they took the lead in style in the seventh minute, with the Welshman collecting the ball on the halfway line and breezing past three players before squaring to Lennon, who tapped home from close range.

Nine minutes later, Bale was the goalscorer as he took a five-yard run up at a free-kick and despatched a powerful drive which may have deflected off the wall, completely bamboozling Reina, who could only stand and watch the ball sail in to his right.

Liverpool pushed for an equaliser after the break but they almost conceded a third when Martin Skrtel's poor clearance set Jermain Defoe free before Clint Dempsey selfishly muscled his team-mate off the ball and shot wide.

Spurs were struggling to get on the ball and their best threat came from set-plays. Bale fizzed another long-range curler just wide in the 68th minute.

But two minutes later, the former Southampton man unwittingly put Liverpool back in the game, as Lennon's goalline clearance from a Steven Gerrard header smacked him in the face to fly into the home net

Liverpool pushed for an equaliser but could not find a vital goal.

Tottenham Hotspur	Team Statistics	Liverpool
2	Goals	1
2	1st Half Goals	0
7	Shots on Target	5
7	Shots off Target	5
2	Blocked Shots	7
1	Corners	12
8	Fouls	18
0	Offsides	1
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
78.2	Passing Success	84.4
37	Tackles	18
73	Tackles Success	88.9
35	Possession	65
48.9	Territori al Advantage	51.1
307	Total Passes	556
5	Total Crosses	29
134	Lost Balls	171
48	Recoveries	49
40.4	1st Half Poss.	59.6
30.3	2nd Half Poss.	69.7

Brendan Rodgers claims Liverpool denied two penalties in defeat at Tottenham

The visitors dominated for long periods, despite going 2-0 down early on, and Rodgers was particularly incensed by a clash involving Mousa Dembele and Steven Gerrard.

The Reds boss: "We never got the rub of the green tonight. It was a little embarrassing to be honest.

"Two clear penalties. Steven Gerrard - that was bordering on assault, never mind a tackle. It was frightening how we never got the penalty for that. And if you watch, Luis Suarez gets kicked by William Gallas, also."

Rodgers claimed Clint Dempsey also dived in the build-up to Spurs' second goal, and insisted Liverpool should have come away from White Hart Lane with at least a point.

"I thought we were absolutely magnificent," he said. "I don't think we can come here and play any better than that.

"We'd have been disappointed if we'd drawn the game, but to actually lose it was bitterly disappointing for the players because I thought they were absolutely fantastic.< /p>

"We started reasonably well but found ourselves 2-0 down very quickly and that can be difficult.

"But you could see the spirit and the reaction of the team for the rest of the game. That was a game that we dominated.

"It was just relentless and some of our play was outstanding, but we were just unfortunate we couldn't at least get the draw."

Liverpool coach Mike Marsh says Lucas is on course for comeback

The Brazilian midfielder has not featured since August because of a thigh injury, his second serious injury in a year after he missed a large part of last season with a knee problem.

He stepped up his fitness battle after coming through an hour for the Reds' U21 team against Middlesbrough last Friday.

"Lucas came back and played an hour last week in an U21 fixture so he could be available sooner rather than later," Marsh told the club's website.

"Everyone is looking forward to welcoming him back and getting him on the pitch in a first-team shirt.

"He's not far away at all - if he gets a good week in training while we're away in London, he won't be far away from being included in the next game or two.

"Fortunately we're blessed with a lot of central midfielders so there's no rush to get him back in - when the time is right I'm sure the boss will put him in when he thinks it will benefit Lucas and the team.

"He's a Brazilian in ternational, he moved away from home when he was very young - he is a very mentally strong player. We're looking forward to having him back."

Rodgers eyes Champions League

The Reds have failed to finish in the top four in the last three seasons and that has undoubtedly impacted on the signings successive managers have been able to make.

Nine points currently separate them and fourth-placed Chelsea but Liverpool could strike a significant psychological blow if they beat Tottenham, who are only four points better off than them, at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

Spurs have shown over the last couple of years what effect the lure of Europe's elite club competition - combined with a healthy transfer budget - can have.

In the summer they signed two of Liverpool's major targets midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson and forward Clint Dempsey from under the nose of Rodgers as a result of better financial backing.

The Reds boss knows he cannot compete with the money counterpart Andre Villas-Boas has at his disposal and accepts rebuilding for a top-four challenge may take a while.

"Over the course of the summer they invest ed something in the region of 55million net in terms of everything they were putting into the group," said the Reds boss.

"But it is not just in the last window, Tottenham have been building the group steadily and have worked their way up the league to become challenges for those Champions League positions.

"We are trying to arrive in that position and we see what sometimes it takes in order to do that.

"Of course Liverpool want to be in for the top players and top talents and this is a club which will bring those players here.

"But obviously a lot of players want to be in the Champions League so if they want to come in here that is an area we want to get into in the coming years.

"We know we are not too far away and are very close to be arriving in that zone that we want to be in."

Rodgers' squad requires some significant arrivals in January but the manager has stated on several previous occasions he will not have a huge amount to s pend.

But the Northern Irishman is hopeful alternative methods will be equally as successful.

"If you haven't got the investment you have to find other ways of doing it and that is where we are at the moment," he added.

"That is the challenge for us and one we are accepting.

"Globally we are looking at a way of working, can we be different in our way of playing, can we find a bargain somewhere, can we develop young players and bring them through?"

Rodgers dismissed as "irrelevant" the suggestion Tottenham had made a serious approach to him to replace Harry Redknapp in the summer.

He also stressed he could have signed Sigurdsson - who was asking for double the 30,000 weekly wage Liverpool were offering - had they wanted to pursue the deal.

But the Liverpool manager accepted they were priced out of a move for Dempsey after Fulham, unhappy at what they felt had been Liverpool's very public courting of the player, asked for 6milli on when he had been offered to other clubs for 4million and owners Fenway Sports Group refused to sanction the additional spend on a 29-year-old.

"I was very happy in my work at Swansea. Harry did a brilliant job there and for whatever reason they decided it wasn't to be and looked elsewhere," he said.

"Tottenham is a terrific club with a great history but for me this is a really unique football club and I've not regretted a moment.

"Tottenham have chosen a manager, they have decided to go down the route of Andre Villas-Boas and he will look to continue the great work Harry did.

"My only thinking and importance is on Liverpool."

On the two failed summer transfer bids he added: "It (Sigurdsson) was something that if we wanted to do it we could have done it but it wasn't to be and we moved on.

"There was an offer to sign Dempsey - he was obviously a player who had done well during his time at Fulham and I am sure the likes of ourselves and other clubs were interested.

"But the club felt they had done what they could to get the player and he moved on to Tottenham."

Jordan Henderson to prove Liverpool career for life and not just Christmas

The 16million summer 2011 signing from Sunderland was part of a big-money squad overhaul conducted under former boss Kenny Dalglish.

But Henderson only made his first Premier League start of this season under new manager Brendan Rodgers in the weekend draw at Swansea City after being restricted to substitute, Capital One Cup and Europa League appearances.

The 22-year-old has been offered encouragement from Rodgers but knows he still has to prove his credentials at five-time European champions Liverpool.

Henderson said in the Daily Star ahead of Wednesday's game at Tottenham Hotspur: "If you move to a club like Liverpool, you have to try to make it for life and not just for Christmas.

"When I signed for Liverpool, I definitely wanted it to be long-term and I will give it everything I have got.

"It is a lot easier to throw a tantrum and walk away from a big club than fight to make it work, isn't it?

"Other players might treat it different ways but it just gives me a different incentive to push on and go forward.

"I think the manager has seen that I have improved since he came to the club and I need to keep on improving."

Reds don't rely on Luis - Johnson

The Reds drew a blank at Swansea on Sunday as Brendan Rodgers returned to the club he left for Anfield in May.

Rodgers will reflect on a contest his side could have won after having Jose Enrique's strike ruled out for offside, seeing Raheem Sterling hit the bar and Suarez force two sharp saves from Gerhard Tremmel.

But the inability to find a breakthrough adds further weight to the impression that if Suarez does not find the net, neither do Liverpool.

Suarez has scored 10 Premier League goals so far this season; no other Liverpool player has managed more than one.

But Johnson, who excelled at the Liberty Stadium, does not feel the Merseysiders are too dependent on their 22million front man and echoed his manager's belief that Enrique's first-half effort should have stood.

"We are not relying on Suarez at all," Johnson said. "Obviously he is our main striker, but we are not relying on him.

"It's everyone's job to get around hi m and try and score.

"You need a bit of luck in front of goal and on another day we might have had two or three. It's a difficult one because with Jose's goal I thought his feet were in line with the last defender.

"His shoulders were offside but surely the advantage should go with the attacker. I have seen them given. It is frustrating for us but you can see why the linesman has given it if he can see some part of his body in front.

"I never felt that we were in any danger but they dug in and defended well."

Liverpool are now eight games unbeaten in the top flight having recorded four wins and four draws.

Sunday's 0-0 draw leaves them 11th in the table, still a point and two places below Swansea, but Johnson believes the Anfield club now have a solid base from which to climb into the upper reaches of the standings as they prepare to face Tottenham on Wednesday.

"It is a good platform. If you can't win a game you've got to make sure you don't lose it," he said. "We are sitting there and haven't had that much luck. We are not relying on luck but it's a day like this that you could go home with a 1-0 or 2-0. But we will keep going and if we do get that bit of luck it will be okay.

"We will recover from this and turn our attention to Spurs. It is a big game and we have a couple of days to prepare for it and hopefully we will pick up three points."

No Williams worries for Laudrup

Defender Williams criticised Suarez in a section of his book 'My Premier League Diary', accusing the Uruguayan of being a diver and showing contempt toward his fellow professionals.

The timing of the comments has stoked the fires ahead of Sunday's Liberty Stadium contest between the two sides, as Reds manager Brendan Rodgers and midfielder Joe Allen return to their former club for the first time.

But Laudrup does not believe the furore will affect the Wales captain.

He said: "We know all about Luis Suarez - and Ashley Williams certainly seems to know about him.

"The comments are not something that surprised me because nothing surprises me in football.

"There have been lots of comments about Suarez, not only from Swansea but lots of other clubs.

"But there is a referee on the pitch and three other officials and they have to manage the game. The important thing is for our players to keep inside the rules and I am 100% sure they will and we will try to win this game.

"But I have no problem with Ashley Williams playing against Luis Suarez, no problem at all."

Suarez, 25, has been in red-hot form this season, and has scored 13 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions.

Laudrup acknowledges it will be difficult to stop the former Ajax forward, and has warned his side they must look to cut off his supply if he is not to add to his tally.

"It is not about one man. We all agree he is a player to watch because he has scored 70 or 80% of their goals," he said.

"But it's only part of it; you have to look at the people who make the passes and stopping the service.

"He will get chances and he will create some things but the only thing we can do is watch him very carefully and try not to let him out of our sight.

"He is a clever player - you only have to see the equaliser at Chelsea to see that which was very smart.

"He is a goalscorer who has the insti nct about where the ball is going to go, but we know about him."

Laudrup has received an injury boost with midfielder Ki Sung-yueng back from a hamstring injury, while defender Kyle Bartley returns from a thigh injury.

Ki's return could see top scorer Michu moved back up front, with Itay Shechter making way.

Swansea have been on a good recent run, and climbed into the top half of the table with their 2-1 win at Newcastle.

They currently sit above Liverpool in the table, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among the Swansea faithful.

But Laudrup expects Rodgers and Allen to have a good reception at the Liberty.

He said: "I think the reception when we played them at Anfield was good for him and Joe and I think it will be the same here.

"Football is about strong emotions and I think it is up to each fan who comes to the stadium on Sunday to do what he or she wants to.

"He did great here, like Roberto Martinez and Paolo Sous a. We can't say how other people should react but if you ask me what I would do then I would applaud him."

Transfer news: Bristol City agree loan deal for Liverpool defender Danny Wilson

The Scotland international has started just eight times since moving to Anfield from Rangers in the summer of 2010.

Wilson's arrival will offset the loss of two senior men to injury and the departure of Matthew Briggs, whose loan deal from Fulham is up after the weekend.

City boss Derek McInnes told the club's official website: "It's good to have another defender on board and certainly one of Danny's pedigree.

"We came up against him last season when he was on loan at Blackpool and I saw him playing for Rangers against my St Johnstone team before that.

"He's had a frustrating time at Liverpool with chances limited. We thank Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool for accommodating this move.

"He's now got a chance to impose himself on our team and show what he can do. We've a lot of games to play between now and January, and with the absence of Lewin Nyatanga and Stephen McManus to injury, Danny's arrival is timely."

Liverpool planning to mix things up for Europa League clash with Young Boys

The side will not be a second string like the team which lost to Anzhi Makhachkala in Moscow a fortnight ago, which means the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez could feature at some stage.

Midfielder Lucas Leiva is still not fully fit as he nurses his way back from the thigh injury which has kept him sidelined since August, and the Brazilian will play for the U21s on Friday as he steps up his rehabilitation.

Young Boys are set to be without Canadian winger Josh Simpson, who suffered a broken leg back in May.

Venezuelan forward Joseph Martinez and goalkeeper Ivan Benito are also missing as they struggle with thigh complaints.

Left-back Christophe Spycher (knee) and centre-half Jan Lecjaks (foot) may play some part at Anfield, but both are rated at 50-50 heading into the continental clash.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has credited the board for showing patience

The Reds welcome the Swiss side to Anfield for a crucial fixture as they sit level on six points in Group A - second and third respectively - but Rodgers is confident his vision is beginning to bear fruit.

With Roberto Di Matteo shown the exit door at Chelsea on Wednesday, Rodgers believes the Liverpool board's understanding has helped him begin to turn results around.

He said: "If you believe in a manager and put him in place and give him time what has been proven in this country is that can lead to success.

"I think those early months were always going to be difficult; you are trying to instil and implement ideas initially without a great deal of success.

"Those early months could have been difficult but in terms of myself, players and staff we were very much focused on our job and there has been no change in ourselves, only improvement.

"All you can do is have an inherent belief in how you work and I believe this is the way the c lub wants us to work.

"As a manager, in order to fulfil what you want to over the longer term you have to take care of the short term - that was something I learned in my job at Reading.

"I was given a three-year contract and took the job in the great belief I was brought in to change the philosophy and ideas of the club and 20 games later I was out of a job. That was the harsh reality of managing a football club and from that I learned a lesson.

"I have been grateful to the board here because in order for me to come here that (support) was something which was going to be important because if we were going to keep the club moving in the right direction it was going to need some stability."

A shaky start to the season has given way to some more positive results of late despite a lack of options in attack, with Liverpool unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva could return for U21 side against Middlesbrough

Lucas is back in training after picking up a thigh problem during the game against Manchester City in August.

The injury was a blow for Lucas after the Brazilian missed a large chunk of last season with a serious knee ligament problem.

Liverpool are unwilling to take any risks with his fitness, but he could get a run-out with the second string against Middlesbrough as he works his way back to match sharpness.

Reds assistant manager Colin Pascoe is happy to see Lucas back and he admits they will make a late decision on whether or not to play him against Boro.

"The next step is getting his strength up in training and hopefully he can get 45 minutes in the reserve game on Friday," Pascoe told the club's official website

"But we'll assess him, see how he is in the next couple of days, and if he feels fine himself, then he could possibly have 45 minutes on Friday."

Pascoe added: "It's fantastic to see Lucas back in trainin g. He's a good player and it's nice to get him back.

"He's been unfortunate with a lot of injuries. I know that's part and parcel of football but it can get you down and it's nice to see Lucas with a smile on his face.

"He's a great professional. He's done his recovery and rehab. When you're injured, you can't wait to go and play football again and sometimes you can't see a light at the end of the tunnel, but Lucas has kept his head down, worked hard and he's looking good in training."

Merseyside Police confirm they have interviewed England and Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling over an alleged attack

The 17-year-old Liverpool and England star was questioned under caution after Merseyside Police received a complaint of assault.

He was not arrested and attended the police station by prior appointment, Merseyside Police said.

The 27-year-old alleged victim, who is known to the footballer, suffered "slight" facial injuries during an incident in Toxteth, Liverpool, earlier this month.

A police spokeswoman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm that a 17-year-old male from the Woolton area was interviewed under caution following a report of an assault on Friday November 2.

"A 27-year-old woman received slight injuries during the incident in the Liverpool 8 area.

"At this time, the investigation is ongoing and no formal action has been taken."

The Jamaican-born teenager made his international debut for England last week against Sweden and has earned plaudits for his performances for Liverpool this season.

Liverpool FC have made no comment on the matter.

Jeffren's agent confirms Liverpool interest in winger

The Reds have long been linked with the former Barcelona wide-man, who moved to Portugal last year.

His time with Sporting has not been hugely successful as he has been beset with a number of injuries and this season he has started just one game.

Now he is back on Liverpool's radar, together with a number of other Premier League clubs.

His agent Jorge Llagostera told Portuguese radio station Antena 1: "Yes. Liverpool and other Premier League clubs are monitoring the kid.

"But, formally, we have still not received an offer to negotiate with Sporting."

Any prospective deal could be hampered by the fact Barca have a buy-back option - but they would need to pay 9.6million to activate that.

Wenger: No January Walcott sale

Wenger ruled out any prospect of cashing in on Walcott in the new year if the deadlock over the 23-year-old's contract talks was not broken before the end of next month.

Arsenal appeared to come close to entertaining bids for Walcott when negotiations over a new deal - to replace the one that expires next summer - stalled during the last transfer window.

And despite having previously set a deadline of the end of 2012 for an agreement to be reached, Wenger insisted after Saturday's 5-2 north London derby thrashing of Tottenham that Walcott was going nowhere in January.

Asked if the winger would be sold if the impasse continued into 2013, Wenger said simply: "No."

Pressed on whether Walcott would see out the season at Arsenal come what may, he replied: "Yes."

Wenger's revelation opened up the possibility of Walcott signing a pre-contract agreement with a rival club, Liverpool and Manchester City having both been linked him.

The Arsenal boss remained confident of a deal being reached before then.

Asked if talks were closer to bearing fruit, he joked: "If I listen to you then every day it gets more expensive.

"We continue in a positive way. I told you many times we have until the end of December to sort this out."

Jack Wilshere, Walcott's team-mate for both club and country, does not want to see another big name player quit the Emirates Stadium.

"He is an English lad and great to have around the dressing room," the midfielder said.

"But that is up to him, the boss and the board. They are going to do whatever they are going to do. I hope he signs.

"We all know what Theo brings to the team. He has got pace, he can go behind and his movement and timing of the runs is probably the best around.

"He play anywhere - up front, right, left, central.

"He wants to play down the middle, so I think he will get his chance - he will just have to be patient."< /p>

Walcott himself claimed he was prepared to do that after reiterating he saw his long-term future up front.

It is an assurance of more playing time as a striker - as much as a bigger salary - that the player is said to be seeking.

And despite being made to wait until the 86th minute yesterday to show what he could do in the position, he still managed to rack up his fifth goal in as many games.

Wenger said: "It is always good when you can play everywhere."

He pointed out Olivier Giroud could hold the ball up in a way Walcott "will not be capable to do" but added: "He is a different type of player but he can play up front, and he can play up front with Giroud as well.

"I think he has found a good mixture and good positional play on the wing."

Arsenal ultimately romped to victory yesterday but it could have been so different had Emmanuel Adebayor not got himself sent off after putting Tottenham 1-0 up.

The Gunners even look ed nervy at 4-2 ahead, having won just one of their previous six games, with their last outing seeing them blow a 2-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Fulham.

"We missed a penalty n the last second against Fulham," Wenger said.

"That had an effect on the game. You could see that when we were 4-2 up."

He added: "Sometimes, when you lose games, you do not come back straight away and win.

"You go through one or two draws and then you win. Then you are back. This result will be tremendous for us."

After helping Arsenal leapfrog Spurs into sixth place, Wilshere said: "We knew we couldn't do anything else than win.

"A draw wouldn't have been good enough.

"We got the three points and in terms of the league table it was vital that we did, because we are a bit far behind at the moment."

Last season's 5-2 derby win from 2-0 down helped Arsenal beat Tottenham to third place in the league and secure Champions League qualification at their arc h rivals' expense.

Wilshere added: "Last year, beating them was a turning point and hopefully we can keep that going."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is confident Raheem Sterling will sign a new deal

Sterling, who made his England debut against Sweden on Wednesday, has established himself as a key player in the Liverpool side after bursting onto the first-team scene this term.

Liverpool are thought to be keen to tie down the teenager to a new deal, but reports have suggested contract talks had stalled due to personal demands.

However, Rodgers insists contract talks with Sterling will be resolved "without issue" with the player having just 18 months to run on his current deal.

"I think it will be pretty straightforward," said Rodgers. "That will be resolved. There won't be an issue there.

"I think Raheem himself, his representatives and his family know he is at the best club he could ever be at in terms of his development short and long-term."

Rodgers admits Sterling's rise to prominence into the Liverpool first-team and now the England set-up has taken him aback.

"I have been surprised to be honest. You just never know with young players," added Rodgers.

"I think the biggest thing you can do with kids is give them a chance - so long as they are showing on a daily basis they are worthy of that opportunity.

"That has been the case with Raheem since the day I walked in.

"He has improved and that is a great credit to him because he wants to improve and become a better player.

"Tactically he is doing better all the time and I think everyone connected with Liverpool could be proud of his (England) performance.

"To get exposed to that level of experience, playing alongside guys like (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic and seeing them at close-hand and how they operate can only make you a better player.

"He has earned that right to be there, he has been one of the top young players in the country this season; he is a real threat, he is dynamic but thankfully he has a lot to improve on.

"That will hopefully bode well for Liverpool first and foremost and inter nationally after that."

Steven Gerrard says he has no intention of leaving Liverpool despite the advice of Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Gerrard has spent his entire career at Anfield in stark contrast to Ibrahimovic, who has enjoyed spells with Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan and is now at Paris St Germain.

The Swedish striker admitted he was a huge admirer of Gerrard but felt that he would benefit as a player by playing his trade on the continent.

He said: "Although of course Liverpool is a big club, I would like to see Steven at a big international club.

"For me, a fantastic player can make the difference in every country wherever he plays. I'm pretty sure Steven would do that also."

But Gerrard insists there are few bigger clubs than Liverpool and has no intention of leaving Anfield, where he has racked up more than 600 appearances over more than a decade of service.

"I'm a big fan of Zlatan as a player but I'm not going to take his advice," said the 32-year-old.

"I am very happy at Liverpool and in my opinion I am at one of the biggest clubs in the world, a team that has won the European Cup five times. So I'm happy where I am, but thanks for his opinion."

The agent of Schalke's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar denies a Premier League move has been agreed

The Netherlands international's current contract with the German outfit runs out in June 2013 and he has yet to sign a new deal, prompting speculation about his future.

The 29-year-old has previously been linked with a move to Italian side Juventus, while rumours have recently emerged suggesting Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham were vying for his signature.

The player's representative Arnoldus Oosterveer has denied a deal has been struck with a Premier League side, insisting the player is keeping his options open.

However, he did reveal the former PSV, Real Madrid and Milan forward will make a decision on his future during the January transfer window.

"There is no agreement with any English club and Klaas has not yet decided anything about his future," Oosterveer told calciomercato.it

"He has not decided if he wants to play in Italy, Spain, England or stay in Germany. He is planning his future in the winter."

Regarding a poss ible contract extension with Schalke, he added: "Currently no hypothesis is rejected because in football you never know.

"So you [will] have to wait to know Huntelaar's future."

Steven Gerrard cannot wait to win his 100th England cap in Sweden on Wednesday

The Liverpool midfielder admitted to being a little more nervous than usual ahead of the Stockholm friendly and hopes he has plenty more caps ahead of him, although the possibility of breaking David Beckham's outfield record (115) is not a big driving force.

Gerrard will become only the sixth England player to reach a century of caps, joining record-holder Peter Shilton (125), Beckham, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Billy Wright.

"I'm excited," Gerrard said at England's Tuesday press conference. "I'm slightly nervous, which I haven't been for quite a while in an England shirt, maybe because there is a bit more attention on me getting to the milestone.

"It's very exciting and I can't wait for the game to start.

"I try to be the driving force, try and make things happen on the pitch, get assists, get goals and try to lead by example for the rest of the team to follow.

"My England journey has been full of ups and downs, probably the same as a lot of other England players, but I feel like there's a few more chapters to write as well.

"I don't feel as if I am coming to the end. I'm really happy where I am at the moment and really happy with my form in an England shirt. I'm certainly looking forward to helping this team qualify for the World Cup.

"David's a hero of mine and he was certainly someone who I looked up to. I enjoyed a lot of my England caps playing alongside him and it's not really very important to me whether I beat David's record or not. My main focus is to get this team to qualify for the next big tournament."

Johnson: We're heading right way

The Reds rallied to hold European champions Chelsea in Sunday's Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge, arguably their best result away from home under Brendan Rodgers.

The 1-1 draw was Liverpool's sixth league game without defeat, although it was also their sixth stalemate from 11 matches, leaving them a whopping 15 points behind leaders Manchester United in 13th place.

They are also eight points adrift of fourth spot, made all the more galling by the fact that England's final Champions League qualifying place in currently occupied by city rivals Everton.

Three of Liverpool's next four league games are against Wigan, Swansea and Southampton, the kind of opponents they cannot afford to drop points against if they are to haul themselves up the table.

Rodgers admitted on Sunday his side were "a long way off in the league" but full-back Johnson had no doubt they were heading in the right direction.

"Of course we want to be winning gam es," said the 28-year-old England star, who returned from a two-week injury lay-off to start. "Everyone can see we are starting to improve, and if we keep playing well, I'm sure the results will come our way."

Sunday's match highlighted once again just how reliant Liverpool have become on Luis Suarez, who nodded in his 11th goal already this season.

The Reds failed to muster a single shot on target before the Uruguay star equalised and he almost snatched all three points when Petr Cech came rushing off his line to thwart him.

"Luis is a great player and he doing a fantastic job for us," he said. "He's scoring goals for fun at the moment, and the longer he does that, the happier we will be."

Prior to Suarez's intervention, Liverpool were heading for defeat against opponents who could easily have added to John Terry's opening goal.

Rodgers' 3-5-2 formation backfired and he was forced to abandon the experiment in the second half, reverting to a 4-2-3-1.

The move paid off and might even have yielded Liverpool's third successive league win at Stamford Bridge, had Susuo and Suarez taken their chances.

Johnson said: "If we had been offered a point before the game we probably would have taken it.

"Playing away at Stamford Bridge, it was always going to be difficult. Chelsea are very strong at home and we were expecting a tough game.

"We didn't start well, they got the goal and, usually, when Chelsea go in front here, they win.

"A lot of teams would have rolled over and ended up getting destroyed by four or five.

"But we have a great spirit in the dressing room and a lot of heart.

"We always fight to the death. We did that and got our reward.

"They had a tough game in Europe in the week and I think that showed in the last 15 minutes as Chelsea tired a little bit.

"We were strong, and in the closing stages, we really drove at them.

"We could have got all three points in the end but, overall, I think we've got to be happy with the draw."

Liverpool were today sweating on the fitness of Jonjo Shelvey for Saturday's visit of Wigan after the midfielder missed the Chelsea game with a thigh injury and was forced to pull out of the England squad for Wednesday's friendly with Sweden.

Jose Reina failed to recover from a hamstring problem to start in goal, while Martin Skrtel was laid low by a virus.

Brad Jones praises Liverpool after fighting back from one goal down to draw 1-1 with Chelsea

Jones, deputising for the injured Pepe Reina in his seventh consecutive match, twice denied Fernando Torres to help Brendan Rodgers' men escape with a point.

And the 30-year-old hopes Sunday's performance will give the side, who are unbeaten in six league games, the confidence to pick up more wins as the season progresses.

"We're continuing to pick up points and we're producing some good performances," Jones told the club's official website.

"And that's fantastic. As long as we keep getting better and keep improving then that's the way we want to head.

"I think it was a good draw for us because Stamford Bridge is a really tough place to come. Chelsea are a good team and we have to look at that and take some positives.

"Some games you'd rather we got three points but on days like Sunday, we've got to take the point and be happy.

"We missed a few chances towards the end, where we could have even nicked it, but as long as we con tinue to get the points and perform well then we're heading in the right direction.

"Chelsea are dangerous. Their front four includes three brilliant players operating behind a quality striker so they are always going to create.

"But I think our formation and the way we set up tactically was very good and we left them with very few opportunities, so that's another positive."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers felt tactical switch helped secure Chelsea draw

The Reds started with a 5-3-2 formation and fell behind as John Terry got away from Daniel Agger to head home, before the Blues captain was stretchered off following an accidental collision with Luis Suarez.

Rodgers changed to a four-man defence on the hour mark when Suso came on for Nuri Sahin and was rewarded when Suarez nodded home Jamie Carragher's flick-on from a corner with the home side sleeping.

He told Sky Sports: "I thought in the first half we were too tentative. Second half our attitude in the game was much better and we are better when we play fast football.

"Coming here is a very difficult place. I thought it was a great point for us. You have to give credit to the players, they were fantastic.

"Whatever system you have, it doesn't matter, it is about the application and the quality of the players."

Rodgers also hailed Carragher, adding: "He is phenomenal, it's an absolute pleasure to work with him. His preparation is fir st class, he is always preparing himself well.

"Today he was exceptional, he is a real model professional for a young player. With everything he has won and achieved he could easily come and knock on my door but he is old school, he respects authority."

Roy proud at Gerrard landmark

Gerrard will become only the sixth England player to reach the milestone, following Peter Shilton, David Beckham, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Billy Wright.

It is a fine achievement, considering earlier in his career there were some who felt Gerrard's dedication to the Three Lions cause was not all it might have been.

However, the 32-year-old has led England into their last two major tournaments and, providing he stays injury-free, is likely to have become England's fifth most experienced captain before his career comes to an end.

"Anybody who gets 100 caps for his country has got to be one hell of a player," said Hodgson.

"I'm delighted I am going to be the manager of the team when he gets that 100th cap because I regard that as an honour. It's nice if you happen to be the man on the bench that day."

Propelled into the England job on the back of Fabio Capello's abrupt departure and all the furore surrounding John Terry, Hodgson turned to Gerrard as his captain, largely due to the fact the pair knew each other from their short time together at Liverpool.

It is not a decision Hodgson has had cause to regret.

"His ability gives him enormous respect in the group, which is important," said Hodgson.

"What gives him a real heads-up over a lot of people is his maturity, his total dedication to football and the fact that he's prepared to give his time to other players, to champion their cause and do everything you expect a captain to do.

"You don't need to be demonstrative.

"In the past there are certain captains who stand out through being demonstrative but there have been lots of very good captains through the years who are not demonstrative people.

"I'm not interested in Steven being demonstrative, I want him to do the job; on the field by leading the team and making certain that when we play we're trying to do the things we work on, and off the field to be there for the players and be that link with the rest of the group."

So delighted is he with the job Gerrard has done, Hodgson finds it hard to understand those claims of lacking interest in England's fortunes.

Aside from the friendly against Italy in Berne at the start of the season, and the World Cup qualifier against San Marino last month, for which he was suspended, Gerrard has featured in every England game this year and was undoubtedly one of their better players at Euro 2012.

"His recent form for England will have put any lingering doubts to bed," said Hodgson.

"Like everything else, the higher you get lifted up by people the more chance there is you're going to fall.

"That is why you'll notice when young players come into teams, they're invariably received by everybody as 'a fantastic player we've unearthed, a real superstar of the future'.

"But once they've played 20 or 30 games and people have accepted them as a star, the critici sm begins and people start to look at it again.

"During these 100 caps there will have been times when he has woken to the headline 'Mr Fantastic' and others where it says 'You let us down'.

"That is the nature of the business."

And Hodgson will be looking for Gerrard to impart that message to his young Liverpool team-mates who are starting to make an impact with England - including Raheem Sterling, who first came to Hodgson's attention during his own ill-fated Anfield stint when the wideman was just 15.

"He played in a friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach in 2010, when I'd only been at Liverpool for about three weeks," said Hodgson.

"It was for the last 15 minutes in front of 55,000 people, and he almost won it for us.

"So, I had an idea then that he might turn out to be a bit of a player and his inclusion in a squad like this, with so many players absent, was a bit of a no-brainer."

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez says he does not go down easily

The Uruguay international has earned an unwelcome reputation for going down too easily, with match officials now loathe to give him a decision inside the penalty area.

Suarez admits the label is driving him mad, with there plenty of statistics to back up his claim that he is singled out for rough treatment by opposition defences.

He said: "I insist I don't dive in the penalty area. This is my career and the bad reputation created around me is unjust.

"If you analyse the statistics I am one of the forwards who receives the most fouls and free kicks.

"There always seems to be controversy surrounding me but I accept the referee's decisions - they are only human.

"I accept the criticism against me but many people attack me without reason. That doesn't please me but I try to do my best day by day."

Pressure

Suarez has also spoken of his desire to bring success back to Anfield and claims to have no problem with shou ldering the weight of striking responsibility under Brendan Rodgers.

He added: "Many times I play alone in attack but that's not a pressure to me. My mission is to play and to score goals for Liverpool.

"Liverpool are one of the top clubs in England and we are obliged to fight for all the titles, including the Premier League.

"This has become complicated because of results so far so we need to give our maximum in every match.

"Rodgers is a new coach and is normal that things will get better match to match. I'm confident it will work.

"My dream for this season is to make the top four. Our squad should be fighting against the biggest rivals in this division."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers confident of strengthening squad in January

It was a frustrating deadline day for Rodgers in August and the Reds have not enjoyed the start to the season they would have liked, with last weekend's 1-1 draw against Newcastle leaving them 12th in the Premier League ahead of Sunday's trip to Chelsea.

Liverpool are light on firepower having allowed Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan, and Rodgers has confirmed he does intend to strengthen in January.

He said: "I am confident we will be able to reinforce the squad. We know we need to get the group some help and I am sure we will do that.

"The quicker we can get it done the better and that will certainly be the aim."

Liverpool will come up against former striker Fernando Torres this weekend, and Rodgers was bemused by a suggestion that he might want to bring the Spaniard back to Anfield in the future.

"I have never heard that before," said Rodgers, speaking at a press conference to preview the Chelsea game, before declini ng to answer a follow-up question.

Luis Suarez, signed as Torres left for Chelsea in January 2011, has been the Reds' driving force this season, scoring seven of their 13 goals in a largely frustrating start in the Premier League.

Suarez does have his detractors but, after scoring a superb equaliser in last Sunday's draw against Newcastle, has received plenty of plaudits this week and Rodgers himself described the 25-year-old as 'unplayable'.

Rodgers said: "It is nice the football aspect of his game is being focused on, but the most important thing for Luis is he comes in every day, his concentration is good.

"His goal last week typifies the talent he is. He has been a real reference for our team and hopefully that will continue."

Rodgers is delighted to be able to work with players of the calibre of Suarez, having seen him fill the void left by Torres' switch to the Blues.

Rodgers said: "Certainly from the outside, Fernando Torres did a terrific job at Liverpool. Certainly in his first 18 months he was fantastic.

"He decided to move on. Liverpool got another world-class striker who as has been absolutely breathtaking, particularly this season.

"Obviously Fernando Torres went to Chelsea and good luck to him. I can't really comment on Fernando Torres.

"I can only comment on the short period I have been in here and working with Luis Suarez. I am blessed to work at a great club with great players and Luis is one of them.

"Liverpool have done terrific out of the deal and got a real top player here."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has left out Steven Gerrard & Luis Suarez for clash with Anzhi

Rodgers has decided to rotate his squad for the game in Moscow with Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea in mind.

Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin, Daniel Agger, Jose Reina, Glen Johnson Raheem Sterling and Jose Enrique have all not travelled as Rodgers looks to keep them fresh for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Youngsters Stephen Sama, Adam Morgan and Conor Coady have been called into the squad, while Jon Flanagan is available again after injury.

Daniel Pacheco is also included after impressing for the under 21s earlier this week, with Jamie Carragher set to captain the Reds.

Rodgers has challenged his fringe players to prove they are worthy of a place in his first-choice side.

Many of the side who struggled in last week's Capital One Cup defeat at home to Swansea will again be given the chance to impress, but Rodgers denied those players needed to redeem themselves against a side second in the Russian League but he is looking for some of them to show they can make a difference.

"I knew the cup game (against Swansea) was always going to be difficult," said Rodgers.

"But I've said to the players the biggest thing we look for is that their focus and concentration is right.

"Everyone wants to play in the Premier League but this is a real opportunity to shine and show you can get into that team.

"We have already seen that this season Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom all started in the cup competitions and they are now regulars playing in the Premier League team.

"Every game is a platform. There is a great motivation there for the players but it is also the opportunity for them to prove they can play and obviously get themselves into that team."

On the defensive

Rodgers defended the strength of the side he could put out on Thursday at the Lokomotiv Stadium - UEFA will not allow Anzhi to play in their troubled home region of Dages tan.

"It is not a secondary team," added Rodgers. "It is a team in order to a) win the game and b) give players an opportunity to play where they want to play.

"There is certainly no lack of respect for Anzhi. We have a squad here that we feel can get a result."

Anzhi Makhachkala striker Samuel Eto'o is backed to end his goal drought soon

The Cameroon superstar has not scored in four games since the Russian Premier League game against Spartak Moscow on October 7.

He missed out when Anzhi visited Anfield in the Europa League but has the chance to make amends in the return fixture against Liverpool on Thursday.

The 31-year-old has hit the net nine times in all competitions for Anzhi this season, but their assistant coach Zeljko Petrovic feels that the former Barcelona and Inter player has more to his game than just goals.

"If he don't score in the last few games, maybe he scores tomorrow," said Petrovic.

"He's the most important player for Anzhi. If Eto'o plays it's important not just to score the goals but because he gave two fantastic assists in last game."

Henderson has long-term aim

Henderson arrived from Sunderland in the summer of 2011 with a hefty 16million price tag which raised eyebrows among Premier League rivals.

As a result he has been lumped in with the rest of Kenny Dalglish's expensive signings - mainly Andy Carroll (35million) and Stewart Downing (20million) - for failing to provide value for money.

Dalglish being replaced by Brendan Rodgers in the summer has not helped, and with Carroll sent out on loan to West Ham, Henderson and Downing have been only bit-part players.

They are two of the first names brought up in speculation about an overhaul of the playing staff but Henderson dismisses suggestions he has been written off.

"From the outside it probably looks like that because of how much I played last year and this season I haven't started a Premier League game," the 22-year-old said.

"But I am coming into training every day, working hard and learning all the things I need to learn and I will con tinue to learn the game as the manager keeps telling me.

"I am very focused on what I need to do and it doesn't make a difference what anyone else thinks.

"I want my future to be at Liverpool so I'll give everything every day to make sure that happens.

"It is hard. It is not easy to think long term, especially when I've played a lot of games in the Premier League considering my age.

"Now I'm 22 and I'm not playing as regularly as I would like to but, then again, I have got to take on board what the people are saying around me to try to improve myself as a player.

"I definitely think in the future, given the opportunity I will take it and become a first-team regular for Liverpool."

Henderson's move to Anfield has not been the smoothest as, even when he was playing regularly under Dalglish, it was rarely in his preferred central role.

Often he was stationed out on the right and both last season and this he has made an appearance at full-back.

Henderson is likely to get a run out on Thursday as the Europa League Group A leaders face Anzi Makhachkala - whom they beat a fortnight ago at Anfield - having previously made five starts in seven matches in the competition.

He accepts that while he is not in the frame for the Premier League he has to seize every opportunity to show Rodgers his value to the team.

"It is hard when you don't play but you have to continue to work hard and fight for your place every day - and it's not been all bad for me," the England Under-21 international added.

"I have still played a few games here and there - Europa League and Capital One Cup - and I've been getting games for the under-21s as well.

"Obviously I want to be playing games in the Premier League but if I keep putting in good performances I am sure my chance will come some time soon and it is up to me to take it.

"When you are a young player you just want to play football, it doesn't matter what position you play in really - as long as you are on the pitch nothing else matters.

"On a personal level I want to play in the middle and show what I can do in my preferred position but as long as you are in the starting 11 you can only do your best.

"I am improving as a player and I've learned a lot since the new manager came in and he's helped with different things in my game.

"Obviously people like Steven Gerrard help you along the way but it is up to you to make sure you are focused and can work hard every single day.

"This is a massive opportunity for me to give the manager food for thought, stand up and be counted and show that I am fighting and I want to play in every game I can."

Fans doused by Anfield sprinkler

Just before the teams emerged for the second half of the 1-1 draw a jet of water - designed to dampen the pitch - turned itself towards the Main Stand.

Supporters in the first 20 rows of the Paddock got a soaking for at least 30 seconds but the dignitaries - including Reds managing director Ian Ayre - had not yet re-taken their seats in the directors' box and so avoided an unwelcome wet start to the second half.

Jose Enrique says Liverpool are getting better and expects results to improve

Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle left Brendan Rodgers' side 12th and six points adrift of Everton in fourth but Enrique says progress is being made.

"Of course, it's not a good position to be in the table," he said. "We want to be in the top four and I know that is difficult at the moment, as there are many teams above us.

"But, if we had beaten Newcastle, we would have been only four points behind the Champions League positions.

"It's not that far away. If we were to win three or four games in a row, we would be up there."

Liverpool are playing in a different fashion under Rodgers and, having returned to the side following an injury to Glen Johnson, Enrique is enjoying the change.

"With this manager, the style of play is different than we played before," he said. "We are all getting used to it and every game we are playing better. It's great to play like this and it will get us results.

"I use a lot more energy going f orward now - against Newcastle I played many times like a striker - as this is the type of football the manager wants from his full-backs.

"Defensively I have less work now than before, I am more of an offensive player. Against Newcastle I was able to get forward a lot, like I did when I was playing in Spain."

Suarez

So far Liverpool have scored just 13 league goals, five of those coming at Norwich, and forward Luis Suarez has scored seven of them.

Enrique said: "We need more people in the box. When myself, Glen and Andre (Wisdom) are playing we try to go forward and, if you do that, you have more chances and more players to score goals.

"I enjoy attacking more than defending. In games like this, where we are in control, I'm able to attack and try to get into the box.

"It's a dream to play with someone like Luis but we can't depend on one player. We need more players to score, as we can't always look to Luis."

Lille coach Rudi Garcia admits he would love to have Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole back

Cole enjoyed a successful spell on loan at Lille last season before returning to Liverpool in the summer.

The 30-year-old has struggled to establish himself in Brendan Rodgers' plans this term and was criticised for his performance in last week's Capital One Cup defeat to Swansea.

Cole's long-term future has been the subject of speculation with the transfer window set to reopen in January and his former Lille team-mate Yohan Cabaye suggested over the weekend the former Chelsea and West Ham man should consider a return to the French club.

Garcia admits they could not afford to sign Cole on a permanent basis on the summer, but would love to bring him back to Lille.

"Joe is not only a great person, but also a great footballer. But financially it was not possible to save him," Garcia told RMC

"This can be prohibitive for the return of Joe to Lille. Sportingly and humanly, I'd love to see him back."

Rodgers wants to help Suarez

The Uruguay international was at his brilliant best in Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle, producing a superb equaliser to cancel out Yohan Cabaye's opener just before half-time.

His constant running and teasing of the Magpies defence also led to visiting captain Fabricio Coloccini being sent off late on for a foul on the 25-year-old.

Suarez has scored seven league goals this season - in his last nine matches - which is more than half the team's tally for the campaign.

"It was a brilliant goal for Luis and a terrific performance and it bodes well for us going forward," said Rodgers.

"It doesn't worry me. He gets picked to score goals but of course I would want them to be more spread out.

"Everyone knows that is the key feature for us. We need to get goals from other areas but I can't complain when we play to that level.

"Once we get that type of player in that is really going to finish off a lot of great work for us.

"We play him (Suarez) in that false nine role. He's not a traditional number nine who's up there, stood, static.

"That's why when we get a number of players in who can work off his qualities, that's going to make us a real threat.

"I ask him to get on the move and get defenders out of their positions.

"His cleverness and movement at the moment is world class. It's then important that we've got men running in off that.

"If we can add to the group, you can see the excitement in our team."

Liverpool dominated throughout but their failure to take chances would have cost them had it not been for their mercurial South American forward.

Cabaye's goal was good, taking one touch to control Hatem Ben Arfa's cross before smashing a half-volley past Brad Jones just before half-time.

But Suarez's control in bringing down Jose Enrique's 50-yard ball with his shoulder and shimmying past goalkeeper Tim Krul was sublime.

Even Newcast le manager Alan Pardew had to agree.

"Suarez is a top player. He caused us problems and when he plays the game in the right spirit he is a fantastic player," he said.

The Magpies boss also had no issue with Coloccini's red card.

"I don't think there is any malicious intent but it doesn't look good and we may have to accept it," he said.

"But I don't want to make it a big issue about the referee. Morale for referees must be really low because of what is going on (regarding Chelsea's complaints about Mark Clattenburg) and so I had no problem with his performance, which was spot on. It was a tough game to manage."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was delighted with his side despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle

Newcastle had taken the lead late on in the first-half through a Yohan Cabaye strike, but Liverpool claimed a point through Luis Suarez's superb finish.

The draw means that Liverpool have only one home win to their name in the league this season, but Rodgers was anything but downbeat.

"I thought we were outstanding, I have to say, our intensity and possession was relentless in the game," he told Sky Sports.

"We went to sleep just before half-time but for every other moment of the game I thought we were brilliant, and we deserved three points but we could just not put away any of the chances we had."

Despite going into the interval behind, Rodgers says he and his team never panicked.

"I just said stay calm, sometimes when you dominant the game like we did and concede, it can be easy to play desperation football and chase the goal but I thought it was important (to keep) playing as we were playing as we opened them up enough t imes," he continued.

"In fairness to them they defended well but they had to, but I thought second-half like the first, our pressing, our pressure, our possession was good and fast and we could just not finish off the many of the chances that would allow us to win the game and that is our fifth draw in ten games.

"But as we go forward and once we improve the group we will certainly turn draws into wins and with that type of football we will create chances."

Despite Liverpool's results being far from ideal this term, Rodgers insists they are a team 'moving forward'.

"I believe we are a team moving, moving forward and as you have seen from the performance today it was absolutely outstanding and once we improve the group over the course of the coming months hopefully that will kick us on again and we can turn these draws into wins," he said.

"As long as we keep playing our performance level is important. That we control games and dominate the ball with the young players we have, we clearly have a great future going forward."

Rodgers also found time to hail star striker Luis Suarez.

"He has been fantastic, I think most people in football know he is a real threat. Everyone knows he is quality and a fantastic guy and his work rate and intensity is phenomenal."

Yohan Cabaye says Liverpool's Joe Cole should consider Lille return

Cole spent last season on loan at Lille to help fill the void following Cabaye's move to Newcastle United, but has made just four appearances since heading back to Anfield.

The 30-year-old was replaced at half-time in the midweek Capital One Cup defeat by Swansea City and manager Brendan Rodgers subsequently implied Cole had not been value for money for Liverpool.

Galatasaray have been linked with a January loan bid for Cole, but Cabaye believes a move back to former French champions Lille could be a sensible option.

"It's difficult for him because he's not playing much," said Cabaye in the Daily Star Sunday.

"He did well for Lille and maybe it would be a good choice for him to go back there. If he wants more games, he can play more there.

"They like him at Lille, the club, the manager and the fans.

"I heard that the manager Rudi Garcia was keen to take him back. Joe did well, he fought for the team, so the people and the club liked him."

Cole appears unlikely to be involved for Liverpool against Newcastle on Sunday and Magpies boss Alan Pardew wonders why he has never truly fulfilled his potential.

Pardew said: "Joe's a great talent and, for whatever reason, something has gone missing.

"I remember at West Ham, we played Chelsea and I turned round in my dressing room and he was in the middle of it, chatting with everyone, as if he was going to play for me!

"This was before the game. I had to chase him out. He's an infectious guy and I hope he finds his feet.

"At the top of his form, you wouldn't want him playing against you."

Painful times ahead - Rodgers

The Reds finished 37 points behind Premier League champions Manchester City last season and are currently in the bottom half of the table - 14 points off the pace.

However, Rodgers - who left Swansea for Anfield in the summer - is not put off by the challenge and is thinking long-term at the club.

He told several Sunday newspapers: "There are certainly no regrets about coming here.

"It was always going to be a massive job. I signed a three-year deal but that process of rebuilding will go beyond that. Hopefully I can be here to do that."

Rodgers' predecessor Kenny Dalglish spent in excess of 100million on players.

However, Rodgers added: "There is no quick fix here.

"We have to balance the finances and that is what we are doing. There will be a bit of pain on the way."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says Steven Gerrard strives for continuous improvement

The 32-year-old is poised to reach another notable landmark on Sunday, with it expected that he will line-up against Newcastle United and make his 600th Liverpool appearance.

Gerrard has been a model of consistency throughout his distinguished career, but he is not one to rest on his laurels and consider himself to be the finished article.

Rodgers told the Reds' official website: "He's been brilliant since I came in. He's 32 years of age, captain of the England team and he and I are still looking at ways to improve his game - and that is a big mark of respect to him because he's achieved many things in the game.

"We're looking at videos, analysing his game one to one and looking at areas he can improve - I think that says everything about him, about his mentality and his willingness to want to improve.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's an iconic figure for this football club and hopefully on Sunday he gains that 600th appear ance.

"He, along with the likes of Jamie Carragher, are the great stalwarts of this club.

"I think he's still got a lot left in the tank because of his motivation. Mentally he wants to achieve and physically he's looking very good at the moment."

Improve

Rodgers, Gerrard and Liverpool will be hoping a meeting with Newcastle allows them to improve on a home record which has made for dismal reading of late.

Rodgers added: "I think there have only been three victories over the course of the year.

"It's something we want to improve. We tend not to want to look back so much and try and look forward.

"We've had difficult games this season at home and been unfortunate not to have won more of those in the league.

"As of late, that performance level has picked up and we've looked solid from behind. Our game in terms of our passing and moving has been very good. We just need to continue with that."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers feels Luis Suarez has been made scapegoat over diving

Suarez was again singled out in the build up to last weekend's Merseyside derby, with Everton boss David Moyes claiming his antics would drive fans away from the game.

However, Rodgers has jumped to the defence of Suarez and feels the Uruguayan has been unfairly targeted for complaints which is widespread throughout the game.

"I believe this will be the ongoing debate, and now people will see that diving is an issue which is at every club - it is widespread within the game," Rodgers said. "It is ridiculous to single out one man, because every single club has an issue."

Swansea's Angel Rangel, Everton's Phil Neville and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres were all booked for diving last week and Rodgers feels Suarez should no longer be an easy target.

"Just look at last weekend, and two players you would deem to be great professionals - Angel Rangel and Neville - almost above criticism," added Rodgers.

"Rangel was booked against Manchester City for diving but I worked with him for two years at Swansea and he's one of the most honest, genuine people I've come across in my life. But he got booked for diving.

"Neville is 35 and over the years you would consider him to be a really honest guy, an impeccable professional. But then he gets booked for diving after his manager has read the riot act to his players by all accounts. Then you have Fernando Torres booked for diving.

"So managers have made a criticism of Luis, but I can guarantee you they will have players who are criticised for diving. Hopefully people won't continue to vilify Luis just because he was the easy target before, and look beyond themselves and their own players to see it's part of the game.

"Of course we don't like it when it's blatant and personally I believe we must continue to fight to eradicate that. But it is nonsense to suggest it's just a problem with Luis Suarez."

Rodgers also warned opponen ts that it is no good trying to wind up Suarez, feeling it only makes the striker stronger.

"I honestly don't think you can wind Luis up, by having a go at him for diving or anything else," continued Rodgers.

"Others have tried to use it as a psychological tool to put him off and affect referees but it makes him stronger.

"Looking at his performance levels, consistency and goals he's scored, they'd be better off saying nothing. He'll always divide opinion. If he's on your team people will love him but if he isn't he'll get a bit of stick, but that's because he's world class.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor says Liverpool's Luis Suarez is brilliant

Suarez has been saddled with a reputation as a diver for much of his time in the Premier League, but Taylor prefers to focus on the Uruguayan's football ability.

Liverpool welcome Newcastle to Anfield this weekend and Taylor has outlined the various threats Suarez will bring to the game.

"He's a brilliant player," Taylor told the Daily Mirror. "Some of the goals he scores are unbelievable, and as a defender, he's one of the trickiest centre-forwards out there you'll come across.

"He's very direct. He just gets the ball and it's attack, attack, attack.

"The biggest threat from him comes when your team is attacking. That's when he's at his most dangerous because of the swift way he can break. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time and if you're off your guard for even a split-second, he'll punish you."

Regarding the accusations that Suarez is a diver, Taylor added: "People try to target Suarez because of ho w good he is. They'll do anything they can to make him not do something that gives his team the advantage.

"Not just talking about Suarez, but if strikers can fool everyone else, it's clever from them. At the end of the day, if you're the defender and you allow them to do that, then everyone will look at you and say you've made the mistake.

"That's why our manager tells us that if you're in the box, you touch their player and he goes down, then you've only got yourself to blame."