Rodgers' praise for 'outstanding' duo
Brendan Rodgers described the performance of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge as 'outstanding' after the pair combined to fire Liverpool to a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday.
The lethal duo were in electric form as they intertwined around the edge of Palace's penalty area and pulled the opposition defence to pieces with their intelligent movement.
Within 17 minutes, both had found the back of the net - and when Steven Gerrard added a third, the game was out of the visitors' reach.
Rodgers told reporters afterwards: "That's the beauty of the team - with those two, there are not many better at combining.
"You can see the link-up that they have already. The movement was outstanding and how they combined with each other to arrive in there. It was a really good performance by those two.
"They give you a real thrust and a real edge. If we're away from home and sometimes under the cosh, we counter attack because we've got that pace and people willing to join in. It can be a real threat.
"If teams sit off and drop in that bit deeper, those are guys that are really clever in and around the box and can get goals. They were outstanding today."
The pair have now played three games together at the forefront of the Liverpool attack since Suarez's return to the side.
Rodgers insisted there have been no specific orders issued to the pair about how they should link - instead, they've been allowed to combine naturally to devastating effect.
"We've done many exercises in order to help and improve that combination, but all we've asked is that they work very hard for the team and that natural ability comes out then," explained the boss.
"They're both movers, they are not static strikers. They move really well. Those two occupy a back four on their own because of their movement and cleverness.
"When they get other players around them, they're a real threat. You saw the telepathic nature they have to play with each other today. For the team, it really bodes well for us going forward.
"The two boys up front are as good as any in the league, so you know you're always going to be in with a chance with them two. We took the goals well and created a number of good chances."
Shortly after Sturridge fired the Reds' second goal of the game on 17 minutes, Rodgers appeared to cut something of a frustrated figure down on the Main Stand touchline.
Afterwards, the boss explained the reason behind his unease. He said: "I'm not the type of coach who only wants to win.
"It reminded me of a performance I had when I first became a manager. That was when I knew that it was more than just winning games of football.
"I worry about how the team plays and how we can control a game. I remember being manager of Watford early on and we beat Swansea 2-0. It was at Vicarage Road and we got the performance of the week and everyone was elated.
"But I was probably as disappointed as I've ever been because we played counter-attack football and we didn't keep the ball so well.
"I felt today that in the final third of the pitch, it was hard to argue with the fact that we were outstanding - the movement, the combination play to arrive in there. But we've still got a lot of work to do behind that because the lack of control in the game was disappointing.
"Second half was nowhere near what we want it to be, but without playing great, we won the game and that was something that in the first season we were guilty of - playing ever so well but not getting the result.
"Today in patches, some of the performances were good. But we've won the game having not played great.
"You've got to give credit to the players. It wasn't the best performance, but we won and we've got the three points."