Daniel Sturridge can't hide 'hysteria' surrounding Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers' job

Daniel Sturridge scored twice on his return to Liverpool's starting line-up

BRENDAN RODGERS might have strode into his press conference after Liverpool's 3-2 win over Aston Villa and simply backed Daniel Sturridge to the hilt or praised Lucas Leiva for the qualities Liverpool will continue to require.

 

Instead of the focus being on those people who can keep him in a job, his mind was racing with conspiracies about a shadowy group who want to see the back of him.

“There has been a frenzy, there is no doubt about that, to get me out of here,” said the Liverpool manager. “Whether that’s a Liverpool-hysteria or big club hysteria I am not so sure. The scrutiny here is obviously greater, for me, than any club.

 

“It seems the focus has not been on what’s gone and what we’ve been missing, but more about getting me out of the club. That’s sad. I am the same man who nearly won us the league, but better.

“If you give me the tools, I’ll do the work.”

In many respects Rodgers, who, it should be said, enjoyed the hysteria that came with almost winning the title 16-months ago, is right.

 

There is a group who do not want him at Anfield, though if he is embracing the painful truthful he will accept it is a section of Liverpool’s support which has lost patience rather than just the posse of ex-players and media whom his barbs may well have been intended for.

As for owners Fenway Sports Group, who will ultimately make the call?  They are sitting silently Stateside, hedging their bets and waiting to see if a crucial victory over Aston Villa represents an overdue upturn in fortune or a false dawn.

The frenzy has not been quelled by Rodgers’ decision to allude to it. It simply moves on to Goodison Park next Sunday when Liverpool should discover Everton are not nearly as accommodating opponents as Tim Sherwood’s befuddled team proved here.

 

What is interesting is Rodgers’ feeling of empowerment after a first league win in more than a month and one which felt like a throwback to 2013-14 with Sturridge’s high-class finishing over-riding yet more defensive fragility.

The reality is that the five teams Liverpool have beaten in the league since March 17 are currently 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th in the top flight and 12th in the Championship.

On one hand, taking a shot at his perceived critics was bold. On the other, it betrayed the stresses of the job, although not yet to the paranoid extent of former manager Gerard Houllier who came to recite the number of ex-Liverpool players working in the media by the end of his tenure.

It was emotional, and Rodgers should be above it, but that is human nature. Had he not clarified that “the group” plotting against him was outside of the club, then the intrigue would be far greater.

 

Brendan Rodgers claimed there has been a frenzy to get him out of the Liverpool

Overall, it merely constitutes unnecessary background noise when the main objective is securing the results which will safeguard his future. It is points Rodgers needs, not the pundits to just clam up, and he cannot be totally convinced he has players to thrive in Everton’s hot-house.

That said, this was better from Liverpool with Rodgers encouraging Coutinho to get on the ball in deeper areas and Milner to roam forward more.

The plan worked after 66 seconds and Milner, who thrashed home the Brazilian's probing pass, afterwards questioned why the win would be perceived as potentially pivotal given Liverpool are “five points” from the summit.

“A turning point from what?” he shot back, though upon reflection he would surely acknowledge the quality of Sturridge’s clinical brace and the play which preceded it was a step forward from the hum drum of recent weeks.

A volley with the outside of his left foot and shot passed into the net caught the eye and came as the striker played intricate one-twos with Milner and then Philippe Coutinho.

Rewind to the end of last season and Rodgers publicly doubted whether Sturridge could, effectively, be trusted given his injury record. Two games into the forward’s comeback and he is the saviour-in-waiting. Everton manager Roberto Martinez, a spy in the stands, would have recognised his threat – and Villa’s negligence in switching off and offering room to manoeuvre.

Sturridge’s goals were matched by Villa striker Rudy Gestede, whose headed second from Jordan Amavi’s cross was a joy, but the visitors threatened only in spurts and are entrenched in the bottom three.

Expectation also dogs them, but the scrutiny is not nearly as intense which reflects in itself how far Villa have fallen.

“Collectively, we’re not gelling,” said Sherwood. “We’re doing it in spasms and it’s not good enough.

“We have spells when we are excellent and we have other spells when we look terrible. That’s the nature of it when you get a young group of players. Not only a young group, but a group that’s never played in England before so it’s about acclimatising to this league.

 

“We will get there but it is a rollercoaster ride.”

Rodgers will hope his own slow, ascent back towards the top has begun.

Liverpool (3-4-1-2): Mignolet 5; Can 6, Skrtel 6, Sakho 6; Clyne 7, Lucas 8, Milner 7, Moreno 7; Coutinho 7; Sturridge 8 (Allen 90), Ings 7. Goals: Milner (2), Sturridge (59, 67) Next Up: FC Sion (h) Europa League Thurs.

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Guzan 6; Hutton 6, Richards 6, Lescott 6, Amavi 6; Westwood 6, Sanchez 6 (Veretout 60 5), Gana 6; Sinclair 6, Gestede 7, Grealish 5 (Traore 69 5). Goals: Gestede (66, 71) Next Up: Stoke (h) PL Sat.

Referee: Jon Moss (West Riding).