Liverpool were held to a 0-0 stalemate at Goodison Park on Saturday evening. Brendan Rodgers praised the performance, though and felt his side deserved maximum points.
“Over the course of the game, I felt we were clearly the better team. The balance in our game was very good.”
“We switched off towards the end, in the last five minutes they had a counter-attack that led to their only shot on target.”
Rodgers was very impressed with his side’s pressing and defending and made that clear:
“Apart from that, we defended very, very well and pressed the game well at the right moments and I thought we looked exciting in terms of our threat going forward.”
“We needed a bit of luck in the final third of the field, we had opportunities both in the first-half and second-half but just couldn’t quite take them.”
Jordon Ibe, who made his first start since 2013 in the Premier League, impressed today and picked up the man-of-the-match award. Rodgers was quick to praise him and Emre Can, who also impressed:
“What was pleasing tonight was that in such an intense atmosphere, was the composure of my young players.”
“Look at Emre Can tonight, at just 21 years of age, he was like a Rolls-Royce at the back; He defended fantastically and his quality on the ball was very, very good.”
“Young Jordon Ibe and the others showed great composure, they connected the game very well in the team.”
Rodgers went on to talk about the decision to recall Ibe from his loan spell at Derby County:
“We were just waiting to put Jordon in. We called him back because we felt he could really contribute.”
“He had a great spell out on loan which is what you want for young players, to get that experience. He had an outstanding manager in Steve McClaren and a really good time at a good club.”
“It was the time to come back and feature and he obviously would have played in the cup games if he was available.”
“I had no qualms about putting him in and it was a brilliant performance by him. He was unfortunate not to have scored with his run and strike, and also he has one at the back post where if he arrives a fraction earlier he probably scores.”
“He has wonderful temperament and technique, and is tactically very good for a kid coming into that system, having to get forward and then having to know when to tuck in. I was very pleased for him in the intensity of that game.”
