Brendan: We're ready to step it up

The Reds continue their summer tour in Australia with a clash at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground with conditions much milder than those Saturday's 2-0 victory over an Indonesia XI in Jakarta was played in.

Rodgers believes the tepid climate in Melbourne has aided the players in their double training sessions this week.

He told LFC TV: "Certainly the conditions help. It was near-enough a relief to make the two training sessions in these conditions, especially last night when it was a wee bit cold - but it was perfect and the players have enjoyed it.

"We're still at that early stage where players are up to between 60-70 minutes and then after this game we'll really start to step it up. We've still got a number of games to play, but the plan so far has worked out really well.

"All the players are fit, they've been training and working hard and we'll look to get the minutes before the end of pre-season so they're fit and raring to go."

Having already taken on - and beaten - Preston and an Indonesia XI so far in pre-season, Rodgers feels Melbourne will provide Liverpool with their toughest test yet.

The boss added: "I think each of the games on the tour will be difficult. Melbourne Victory are the biggest club in Australian football and playing at the iconic stadium here in Melbourne makes it more special.

"They are a team that are well coached and have a football philosophy of how they play and work. For us, it's going to be a real good game."

Liverpool trained at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time on Tuesday night in front of more than 10,000 fans.

Since embarking on tour last week, the Reds have been greeted by frenzies scenes wherever they've travelled in Indonesia and Australia and Rodgers has been overwhelmed by the support they've received.

"I think the tour here is a big part of our work on and off the field - commercially there has been a lot of great work going on - but I've got to say, it's a real honour and I'm very proud to be the first Liverpool manager to take the club out to Indonesia and here to Melbourne and Australia," he said.

"It's fantastic and shows you the world-wide appeal of Liverpool. We're such an iconic club - the status around the world, the welcomes we've received are very humbling. One thing I've learnt on this tour so far is that money cannot buy you history - the history this club has gained over the years and still has.

"In the crowds you see lots of young supporters where it's been passed down through traditions in the family. Liverpool is in their blood and once it's in there from a young age, you find it's there for the rest of your life. Thankfully for the thousands and millions of supporters we've seen, there's still a passion and a real strong connection with the club."

Liverpool's players were joined by Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates in Australia after they were given an extended break following their Confederations Cup exertions.

Rodgers said: "Luis and Seba have just re-joined the group. It was their first day yesterday and Seba had his adaptation session in the morning and then done his gym work in the afternoon.

"Typically, Luis was only meant to do one session but because of how he is and how he loves his football, he was keen to do the second session as well, which was a real push because he'd had an adaptation session in the morning because of his flight and travel [to Australia], which was a moderate to low intensity. But the evening session was a much more intense, much more aggressive session.

"He came through that really well and, as I've seen during my time working with him, he just loves playing and working hard. Those two have fitted back in well. Whether they have any part in the game on Wednesday night, I very much doubt, but we'll see how they go in the next couple of days."