Rodgers has empathy for under-fire Moyes

Brendan Rodgers has expressed empathy for David Moyes’ struggles at Manchester United, but points out he took on Liverpool at a lower ebb.

United looked a shadow of the side that won last season’s Premier League by 11 points as Liverpool dished out a comprehensive 3-0 beating at Old Trafford on Sunday.

A transitional period was expected following the end of Alex Ferguson’s exceptional 27 years at the helm, but the fall from grace under former Everton boss Moyes has been particularly severe.

Liverpool are a sobering example to United of how a footballing giant can suffer a change in fortunes, although the club’s stunning form under Rodgers has ignited hopes of a first English league title since 1990 for a team that finished last term in seventh place.

“I have empathy in terms of the pressures,” Rodgers said. “We’re both at the two biggest clubs in British football that are world-renowned clubs.

“It’s incomparable where we were at. He’s obviously come in when they were champions, with world-class players.

“We were eighth when I came in so we had a lot of work to do – a hell of a lot of work to do. I’ve got outstanding owners, they have never buckled from when they offered me the job.

“As a football club, we are restoring that solidity, and as a group both on and off the field. I have empathy for every manager because unless you’ve been a manager you never know the pressures.

“Certainly I understand the pressure of a worldwide institution because Manchester United is a fantastic club.”