Rodgers: Raheem has an important role
Brendan Rodgers expects teenager Raheem Sterling to play an important role in Liverpool's season after observing an increased level of confidence in the forward during the past week.
The No.31 was restricted to a handful of opportunities in the first team in the opening months of the campaign, but has been selected from the start for each of the Reds' last three matches.
Sterling punctuated the triumph over Norwich City last Wednesday with a well-taken, late goal, on the same evening that he reached a half-century of appearances for the club.
Although the manager was keen to stress the remaining development within the 19-year-old, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, Rodgers talked up his chances for the coming months.
"He'll be disappointed, he should have scored; he had a couple of very good chances," Rodgers told Liverpoolfc.com following the win over West Ham United on Saturday.
"But confidence is returning for him. He's making some great runs beyond, it's just if he can get that bit of composure. He slipped a couple of times when he was in good positions.
"He's a terrific young player to have. He will always be important for us this season; he didn't play so much in the opening months, but you can see that he's a real threat when he's at the top of his game."
In their last five matches on home soil, Liverpool have claimed maximum points - notching a total of 20 goals and only leaking four at the other end in the process.
Given such prolificacy from his attacking players, in addition to the mentality engendered around his squad, Rodgers believes the approach of visitors to Anfield is altering.
The Northern Irishman continued: "It has just been relentless in our mentality to go and score goals. It's a very professional attitude that the team is playing with.
"The hunger to win these games is important; these are the games where you've really got to make your home form count. Hopefully now teams come here and know they are in for a very difficult game, rather than being encouraged to come here and think it can be a nice afternoon.
"That's a great credit to the players and great for the supporters, because they are creating an environment for the team to play and pass and move. When they are behind us, it's like having that extra man on the field."