Ramsey throws support behind Rodgers

Chris Ramsey does not understand why Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is under pressure to keep his job, and he insisted he would gladly swap the stresses of preserving QPR’s Premier League status for narrowly missing out on UEFA Champions League football.

QPR are in a race against time to beat the drop, with the London club in 19th place and four points adrift of safety heading into Saturday’s trip to Anfield.

At the opposite end of the table, Liverpool – who fell two points short of the Premier League title last term, are fifth in the standings with four matches remaining and look set to miss out on Champions League qualification.

Liverpool were also dumped out of the FA Cup semi-finals by Aston Villa in April, but Ramsey said he “would really love to have the pressure Rodgers has got”.

“I don’t know how you guys work if I’m being honest. He’s at a big club, he’s done very, very well,” the QPR boss told reporters.

“He said it himself the other day – three months ago he was a tactical genius. You don’t become a bad manager overnight.

“We understand there is pressure on them because they are a huge club with big expectations.

“But the pressure is on us really because we don’t want to go out of the division.

“The implications of going out of the division are huge so I think we actually have much, much more to lose than him.”

Ramsey added: “I think he’s done a good job. He’s a young man and for what he’s achieved and how he’s influenced the game in England, his bravery has been remarkable and the flak that he’s getting is unwarranted.

“When you are at a big club the expectation is so great that you only have to slip up once or twice and people are writing you off but knowing him and his self-belief I’m sure that Liverpool will always be near the top.

“If you watch his teams play they’ve always played attractive football and he’s been very humble with that as a person.

“He’s been fantastic for the Premier League and it would be good to see more young managers of his ilk.

“I wish I had done half the things he has had done in his career.”