Liverpool boss Rodgers not afraid of sack

Under-pressure Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said the fear of losing his job will drive him on as the Anfield club prepare to host Aston Villa on Saturday.

Liverpool have gone four Premier League games without a win and needed penalties to beat fourth-tier Carlisle United in the League Cup in midweek.

Rodgers acknowledged that his job is not safe but said he was not worried by the threat of the sack as out-of-work names like Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp are linked with replacing him in the Anfield dugout.

“I’ve never been complacent enough to think that it’s never been,” Rodgers said when asked if he felt his job might be in danger.

“That’s what drives a manager on — that fear, positive fear.

“But it doesn’t frighten me. I’ve got an inherent belief in what I do but I don’t shy away from the fact that you need to get results and be performing well to try and stay and work.

“I don’t think it (the pressure) goes away unless you’re winning games but I know that we’ve created that expectancy because of how we’ve worked.

“How do I block it out? It’s very simple. I hope to be a football manager for another 20-odd years and I suspect that those 20 won’t be at Liverpool, but whilst I’m here I want to fight for the players and the club.”

After a poor end to last season Liverpool lost Raheem Sterling to Manchester City in the summer but still spent £80 million ($121.7m) on new players.

And yet a new-look side has not yet gelled and Rodgers knows the club’s American owners may not remain patient for much longer.

“I have regular contact with the owners and the relationship has always been strong,” he added.

“Whatever happens here, whether I’m here for one day, one month, one year, whatever, I’ll always have a huge respect for the owners here and the people that work here.

“I walked in here three years ago as a 39-year-old manager at one of the greatest football clubs in the world and I’m a better manager now for that.

“My time here has been enjoyable and I hope it continues to be that. I hope to be here for a long time.”

Liverpool will be without both Christian Benteke and defender Dejan Lovren for the game against Villa, while Brazil forward Roberto Firmino needs a scan to ascertain whether he fractured a bone in his back after coming off against Carlisle.

Captain Jordan Henderson is already out for up to eight weeks after having an operation to fix a broken bone in his foot.