Rodgers not feeling any pressure

Liverpool F.C. manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted he is not feeling any pressure about his future at the club following the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Merseyside rivals Everton on Sunday.

Liverpool are currently sitting in 10th-place in the English Premier League after Romelu Lukaku cancelled out Danny Ings’ opening goal at Goodison Park.

And Rodgers, who is priced at 2/1 to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post, is not feeling ‘any pressure whatsoever’ despite the Reds’ indifferent start to the 2015/16 campaign.

“The first point is I don’t feel any pressure whatsoever,” Rodgers said.

“There’s pressure to sell newspapers and make stories in the media, and I understand and respect that because that’s your job. For me, my job is to worry about the team, and that’s the only pressure I feel. When you send a team out you want them to be committed, relentless in the game and play with no fear. I think the team played like that today.

“This is a group of players looking to replicate what we did a couple of years ago, and that’s going to take time unfortunately. It’s frustrating for supporters who’ve watched us nearly win the league and then lose the quality players. That’s going to take time, whether that’s me or someone else in the job.

“Whilst it’s me I’ll continue to give every ounce to the football club. Once the players are together for a number of years, they’ll be competitive. You see from the beginning of the season to now that they’re growing. Unfortunately people want to put pressure on me, but I don’t feel it and I don’t want it. I just feel the pressure to win from myself and worry about the team.”

Following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Everton, it does not get any easier for the Reds, whose next five EPL fixtures are as follows: Tottenham Hotspur (away), Southampton (home), Chelsea (away), Crystal Palace (away), and Manchester City (home).

It is likely that Brendan Rodgers long-term future will be decided during this difficult stretch. Whether that means he stays or goes remains to be determined.

Liverpool are backed by the bookmakers at 5/2 to achieve a top-four finish in England’s top-flight this season.

Meanwhile, in other news, FC Barcelona have reportedly ended their pursuit of Celta Vigo star Nolito, who is also being linked with Arsenal.

With Danny Welbeck sidelined for the forseeable future, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could move for the Spain international as early as January, according to the The Mirror.