Brendan Rodgers backs Christian Benteke for success at Anfield

The German has opted not to start the striker in the Premier League since the visit to West Ham United on January 2, instead utilising Roberto Firmino, typically an attacking midfielder, as the sole striker.

“[Vardy] made the difference tonight”. And he had much the same to say about Allen’s impressive month’s work.

While none will be available for Tuesday’s game against Leicester City, their return will undoubtedly be a major boost for the Reds for the remainder of the season.

“I think our plan was good”, said Klopp. “First of all, we can get the ball into the box and then maybe Christian will finish it”.

“The longer the game was, we didn’t get cooler and the decisions didn’t get better”.

“We had the ball in their box, we didn’t shoot and one second later Vardy shoots from 35 yards and the ball is in”.

“I’m not too fine with our game today. I’m sure that’s what excites him”. “I don’t know the name here but in Italy we say he is a joker – you can put him in every position”. We created half chances but not real chances. “Whatever help he needed going into the job, I was there for that”, the former Liverpool manager told beIN Sports. Yet only two of them forced Kasper Schmeichel into action, and rarely did the visitors pose a sustained threat.

So are Klopp’s words getting through? “We sat and we spoke”, said Rodgers.

Perhaps time is all Benteke needs, but on the evidence so far, he’s no better a fit for the club than Carroll was.

Liverpool have been woeful at both ends of the pitch this season; while they have conceded 34 times in the league, which is joint-highest amongst the top 14 clubs in the division, Klopp’s team have managed to find the back of the net just 30 times in 24 Premier League outings.

“It’s very easy to ask these things”.

“We’ve shown a row of more-than-okay performances with a little bit more consistency, even when we had a lot of changes, and that’s what we have to now bring onto the pitch all the time so we can really fight for the right results”.