Give him time! Two Liverpool legends back Brendan Rodgers over job pressure

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool side beat Aston Villa 3-2 last weekend

JAMIE REDKNAPP says Brendan Rodgers should not be blamed for Liverpool's slump after overseeing a glut of big-name departures.

 

Reds boss Rodgers has come under fire in recent weeks after his team went on a six-game winless run.

Those fortunes were reversed with a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, in which striker Daniel Sturridge bagged a double as he continues his comeback from long-term injury.

 

And Sky Sports pundit Redknapp says Rodgers has a tough job on his hands after the club reluctantly sold key men Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling over the past two summers.

“I actually have sympathy for Brendan," former Anfield ace Redknapp told the Liverpool Echo.

 

"He’s lost Suarez, he’s lost Sturridge for the best part of 12 months through injury, he’s lost Sterling.

"And he’s lost probably the best Liverpool player ever, in Steven Gerrard.

“So it was always going to be difficult to have that transition.

“Look, he needs a good season. That’s the bottom line. I don’t think the fans will suffer another season like last. They want to be competing for the top four."

 

Luis Suarez (left) and Raheem Sterling both forced transfers away from Liverpool

Liverpool sit ninth in the Premier League and face FC Sion in the Europa League on Thursday before a derby with Everton three days later.

But Redknapp insists fans shouldn't judge the team just yet, echoing fellow Kop legend Ian Rush's sentiments.

“When he gets everybody fit, I like the look of what there is," he added.

 

"I like (Christian) Benteke, I love (Philippe) Coutinho, and when you have Daniel Sturridge up there as well, it makes such a difference.

“You have to give it a bit of time. It’s obviously not the perfect situation, because the manager is under immense pressure, and that then transmits to the players and the fans. But all you can do is win games.”