Liverpool will present a vastly different proposition to Manchester United when the rivals meet on
Sunday, says manager Brendan Rodgers.
United won 3-0 at Old Trafford in December, but Rodgers believes that defeat laid the foundations of a revival that, after Monday's narrow 1-0 win at Swansea City, has taken Liverpool to within two points of United, and just four behind second-placed Manchester City.
"These games are great games," said Rodgers of Sunday's clash between English football's two most successful clubs. "I think that will show the strides we have made since we played them a number of months back. For that I have to given immense credit to the team.
"We are a different team, with a different mentality," continuing Rodgers in the news conference that followed a Jordan Henderson winner taking three points from South Wales. "We were struggling to find the solutions then.
"We had lots of new players and we weren't as consistent. But we still put in a good performance. That was definitely the turning point for us. We've seen enough in that game to show that we could get a result going forward."
Liverpool created a multitude of chances on Dec. 14 and United goalkeeper David De Gea was man of the match. It was the first match in which Rodgers tried the 3-4-3 formation he has employed since, and his team have climbed from 10th, on the way knocking down an 11-point gap to just two which can be wiped away by victory at Anfield on Sunday.
"I have to give massive credit to the players," said Rodgers. "What they've done, how they've believed in the system and the way of working, has slowly clawed our way back in.
"We knew it would take time, being so many points behind but to get back to this level of consistency is very impressive. They know we have a lot of work to do, but we are still on the right pathway."
On Monday, Steven Gerrard made his return to action after over a month out as a-64th minute substitute, just before Henderson's goal, a rebound off the vice-captain's shins of a Jordi Amat tackle, broke down the resistance of Swansea, who had dominated the first half only to be denied by the goalkeeping of Simon Mignolet.
"Steven came on, and offered that calmness," said Rodgers of the captain set to depart the club at the end of May. "We switched to a diamond in the second half and he came on and fitted into the bottom of that and his calmness and control was very important to that.
"You have to pay respect to the team as well. The team's played very well collectively over the last few months. He'd been out for a considerable time as well and he's fit, and you saw how important he is to the team when he came on."
United won 3-0 at Old Trafford in December, but Rodgers believes that defeat laid the foundations of a revival that, after Monday's narrow 1-0 win at Swansea City, has taken Liverpool to within two points of United, and just four behind second-placed Manchester City.
"These games are great games," said Rodgers of Sunday's clash between English football's two most successful clubs. "I think that will show the strides we have made since we played them a number of months back. For that I have to given immense credit to the team.
"We are a different team, with a different mentality," continuing Rodgers in the news conference that followed a Jordan Henderson winner taking three points from South Wales. "We were struggling to find the solutions then.
"We had lots of new players and we weren't as consistent. But we still put in a good performance. That was definitely the turning point for us. We've seen enough in that game to show that we could get a result going forward."
Liverpool created a multitude of chances on Dec. 14 and United goalkeeper David De Gea was man of the match. It was the first match in which Rodgers tried the 3-4-3 formation he has employed since, and his team have climbed from 10th, on the way knocking down an 11-point gap to just two which can be wiped away by victory at Anfield on Sunday.
"I have to give massive credit to the players," said Rodgers. "What they've done, how they've believed in the system and the way of working, has slowly clawed our way back in.
"We knew it would take time, being so many points behind but to get back to this level of consistency is very impressive. They know we have a lot of work to do, but we are still on the right pathway."
On Monday, Steven Gerrard made his return to action after over a month out as a-64th minute substitute, just before Henderson's goal, a rebound off the vice-captain's shins of a Jordi Amat tackle, broke down the resistance of Swansea, who had dominated the first half only to be denied by the goalkeeping of Simon Mignolet.
"Steven came on, and offered that calmness," said Rodgers of the captain set to depart the club at the end of May. "We switched to a diamond in the second half and he came on and fitted into the bottom of that and his calmness and control was very important to that.
"You have to pay respect to the team as well. The team's played very well collectively over the last few months. He'd been out for a considerable time as well and he's fit, and you saw how important he is to the team when he came on."
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