Monday, 31 March 2014

Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool boss tips his side to cope with pressure



Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is confident his team can handle the pressure of the title battle after they moved back top of the Premier League.
The Reds thrashed Tottenham 4-0 on Sunday and will be champions if they win their last six matches.
"There are still a lot of points to play for and there will be points dropped by all teams before the end of the season," said Rodgers.

Premier League title race

Team P W D L GD PTS
1. Liverpool
32
22
5
5
49
71
2. Chelsea
32
21
6
5
38
69
3. Man City
30
21
4
5
52
67
4. Arsenal
32
19
7
6
19
64
"We don't feel the pressure and we're very confident with how we play."
Liverpool were last top on Boxing Day and moved back above Chelsea with a convincing victory against Tottenham.
Younes Kaboul scored a second-minute own goal before goals from Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson sealed the Reds' eighth successive league victory.
They are two points ahead of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side and four in front of third-placed Manchester City, although Manuel Pellegrini's team have played two matches fewer than their title rivals.
However, with City and Chelsea still to play at Anfield, Liverpool's hopes of winning the league for the first time since 1989-90 remain in their own hands.
"The dream is for our supporters, they want to win the title," added Rodgers. "It has been a long time but it's not in my thinking. We just need to prepare and do well, and if we do that, we will win games.
"Chelsea and Manchester City understand Anfield will be a real tough place to come. We love playing here, the support was incredible and that will only intensify.
We're a long way behind rivals - Sherwood
"We respect Chelsea - they have a world-class manager and a team that has been assembled to win the Champions League and the Premier League.
"Manchester City are one of the new superpowers in world football, but we feel we can win any game because we are a team, we have a lot of hunger and our tactical ideas are improving all the time."
Tottenham have lost four of their past six Premier League matches and have taken one point from their eight games this season against the current top four - Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
"It's not a good record," said manager Tim Sherwood, whose side remain sixth. "We have six games left against teams not in the top four so we owe it to ourselves to win those six and get some pride back.
"I don't know about Liverpool being favourites for the title - I would still go for Manchester City."

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