Brendan Rodgers acknowledges he is under pressure at Liverpool but is driven

“But my focus is still very much on the now and making us the best we possibly can be”.

Speculation on Mersyside has intensified since the poor performance against Carlisle and sources in Liverpool claim that even a win against Everton in the looming derby can not save him now.

They scraped past League Two Carlisle on penalties in the League Cup at Anfield on Wednesday.

However, despite Liverpool’s 3-2 victory over Villa, it appears Rodgers will have to continue to put up speculation around losing his job, and particularly a certain German manager replacing him. “You do that by winning games and performing”, he said. “You take that as part and parcel of the game“.

“I have regular contact with the owners and that relationship is strong”.

“I am pretty confident that there is a group of people that don’t want me here to be the manager”, he said.

“I walked in here three years ago as a 39-year-old manager at one of the greatest football clubs in the world and I’m a better manager now for that. But I understand you need to get results and that is the aim”.

Rodgers has also come under fire from former skipper Steven Gerrard, who suggested in his autobiography that the Liverpool boss was guilty of over-confidence when the Reds were challenging for the title in the 2013-14 season.

Benteke has scored five goals in six games in this fixture in all competitions, while playing for Aston Villa.

Klopp took a sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund at the end of last season but would be willing to cut it short if the right opportunity came along. Rodgers got a big win this weekend, but it looks like the club is still ready to move on from the Rodgers era. I respect that we need to get results. My belief is there but it always has been. He’d have won the English Premier League with a team who hasn’t won it for God knows how many years. A week is a long time in this game, let alone a year.

But while Rodgers was pleased to see his side rewarded for a much-improved display, he criticized unnamed outsiders and the “hysteria” they create around the club. Since I’ve been here there have probably been 10 managers linked with the job.

“Obviously the hysteria around ourselves is interesting to note for me and the players”. They have worked hard and are working harder than ever.

The first half was atrocious.

Rodgers managed to keep his place during the summer despite a disappointing 2014-15 campaign, where he failed to lead his side to the Champions League. With that being said, FSG is still publicly backing Brendan Rodgers.