Boss: There's no holding back
Liverpool will send a strong squad – including Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge – to face Oldham in the FA Cup on Sunday as Brendan Rodgers attempts to build on the club’s 'winning' foundations.
Following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over non-league Mansfield in the third round, the boss pledged there will be no holding back at Boundary Park in a competition which the Reds have won on seven occasions.
"The history of the football club is about winning. You come here - second is no good," Rodgers told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
"That is what the foundations of this club have been built on. This is a competition which is a genuine chance.
"The League Cup was a competition where we played a lot of our young players, but this is a competition that we would like to do very well in along with the league and the Europa League - we have important games coming up in that later on in February.
"The second half of the season is the business end.
"We'll take a strong squad because we don't want to hold back. Both of those [Suarez and Sturridge] will travel, there's no doubt that they'll stay behind. We'll go with a strong squad and we want to do well.
"We want to win a trophy. Of course, we want to progress in the league and get into those top four positions. It's going to be difficult this season for us to do that but we're certainly going to fight in order to get there.
"The cup competitions give you the opportunity to get your hands on a trophy. We enter every competition to win and this is a competition we're still in and one that we want to progress in. You're judged on your trophies."
A suggestion was put to Rodgers that he may rest several players for the fixture against the Latics with a view to keeping his team fresh ahead of heavyweight league meetings at Arsenal and Manchester City.
The Northern Irishman admitted he will utilise the depth of his squad but insisted that the XI he picks for each match will be fully capable of claiming victory.
He answered: "It's relatively straightforward because we know they are three big games for us.
"We want to do well in the cup - this is a club that has a proud tradition in this competition and we want to go as far as we possibly can in it.
"But we've got two very important league games. It's a chance for me to look at the squad and it's games like this where the squad really comes to the fore.
"I've got great trust in the players - they have been absolutely brilliant in my time here.
"So I know whichever teams I put out on Sunday, Wednesday and the following week, they'll be strong teams able to get a result."
Sturridge scored for the third consecutive game since arriving at Anfield against Norwich last weekend, while top scorer Suarez reached the 20-goal landmark with a composed finish.
Much of the analysis since has centred on the thriving partnership between the two, although Rodgers made the point that the team's system as a whole has not actually changed.
"I've read a lot and seen a lot of comments this week about them being a partnership," the manager reflected.
"We've actually played exactly the same system as we played before. But what good players do is make that system richer. They've obviously combined very well - good players can read each other and play with each other.
"Also Stewart Downing had a great impact last week, and Jordan Henderson on the left side. The system and structure of the team stayed the same but the players within it changed. That's what the game's about.
"Daniel's goal summed up why we brought him in, it was a good move.
"We've had lots of opportunities like that, where the ball has been squared across the goal and probably before him arriving in it would have just ran out of play.
"But the reason we brought him in is because he is a goalscorer and a box player.
"Daniel has got great presence - it gives any team confidence when you've got goalscorers in your group. I thought the flexibility and cohesiveness last week was very impressive.
"Daniel coming has given them a boost - good players want to play with other good players, and we've brought in an exceptional player."
Rodgers' striking riches were further increased by the return from long-term injury of Fabio Borini - who made substitute appearances at Old Trafford and in the match at home to Norwich.
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The boss explained his pleasure at the options currently at his disposal and expects the versatile Italian to thrive at Anfield in the years to come.
"It's another option for us," said the man who celebrates his 40th birthday today.
"The pleasing thing about last weekend was the real sense that we had some depth - the ability to bring Fabio on, young Raheem on, and to have others on the bench like Jonjo. It was terrific.
"Fabio is a young player who over time will get better and better here. He's going to learn from a top striker like Luis, but he can also play in a couple of positions which allows him to be flexible within the team.
"The more threats that we have, the more goalscorers we have up front, the better for the group.
"That's the type of profile we're trying to bring in - players that are flexible and have intelligence. It's about getting your good players on the field.
"There's no question all three can play - Daniel, Luis and Fabio. They've all played in all three of the striking roles, and Luis has played in the No.10 role. I've got no qualms that we can accommodate them in the team."