Stevie's fine! Rodgers doesn't think Gerrard is in decline
Brendan Rodgers is not concerned by Steven Gerrard's form for Liverpool.
The Reds captain's ability has come into question of late, especially after his poor outing during the club's 3-1 loss to West Ham over the weekend.
While Gerrard's insipid performances have led to several media outlets to believe that he is declining, Liverpool boss Rodgers isn't worried by the former England skipper's form, citing a poor team performance as the reason for the defeat at Upton Park.
No concerns
Speaking about the 34-year-old midfielder's display against West Ham during a press conference ahead of Liverpool's Capital One Cup third-round match against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning, Singapore time), the Northern Irishman said: "No concerns whatsoever, no. He is a brilliant player for us, really talented.
"It was a team performance overall that just wasn't quite up to scratch.
"I feel we have managed his recovery really well in the last two seasons. Even when Steven was playing international football, I think if you look at his numbers and games and minutes he has played, you'll see in the last couple of seasons that it is as good as it has been in his career.
"He is obviously at the age where we will look at him individually as a player.
"We want him to be involved in our big games because of his experiences and his talent, and we'll always taper that recovery for him to allow him to be at the very best he can be."
Source: PA Sport
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
