Rodgers hits out at ‘hysteria’ surrounding his job

“He was outstanding”, Rodgers said.

Rodgers feels there has been much made of a crisis at Liverpool, something which has left him astonished when he has compared his side’s record with those of their rivals.

Gestede headed in with aplomb to make it 3-2 but Liverpool held on to provisionally rise to seventh in the table on 11 points, five adrift of new league leaders Manchester United.

And on 23 September, Liverpool required penalties to beat League Two side Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup.

Villa manager Tim Sherwood at least had the consolation of seeing Gestede score twice, taking his league tally to three goals since joining from Blackburn Rovers, but Villa’s lowly league position is of clear concern. Since I have been here I think there have been 10 managers linked with job.

“You can take the West Brom game out of that”.

“I have regular contact with the owners and the relationship has always been strong”.

A year ago Rodgers told Spanish sports daily Marca that he hoped to be manager of Liverpool for 20 years.

“We are very much together as a team and the supporters were fantastic today”. If you don’t get results the pressure is there but I enjoy challenges.

Brendan Rodgers has no intention of turning his back on Liverpool, despite the Reds’ poor start to the 2015-16 season.

Adama Traore is still struggling with the ankle knock he picked up against Notts County earlier this season, whilst centre back Jores Okore is unlikely to be available for selection.

“I never worry about the players, the players have been absolutely brilliant”, Rodgers said.

“But from my perspective, I look at it and in all competitions we have lost less games than Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal”. He would definitely be a popular choice with Liverpool fans.

Rodgers could be without the services of midfielder Roberto Firmino and defender Dejan Lovren, who were both withdrawn with injuries against Carlisle, while Belgian striker Christian Benteke has already been ruled out with a hamstring problem. You need to be at your best every day.

“When you come into here and a club of this stature, then that is always there. But it doesn’t frighten me”, he said. “But this was something I expected”.

“We nearly achieved great things”.

“We have Jordan Henderson out as well, so you’ve got some really important players that are unavailable for us”, he added. My belief is there but it always has been.