Rodgers: Top-four finish would be bigger than last season´s effort

A top-four finish in the Premier League would be a bigger result for Liverpool than last season, according to Brendan Rodgers.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes a top-four Premier League finish this season would be a bigger achievement than last campaign’s runners-up result.

Rodgers has seen huge changes in his squad, with last season’s top goalscorer Luis Suarez making way in the close-season.

It led to a slow start to the 2014-15 campaign but Liverpool have responded with a 10-match unbeaten league run to be sixth and just three points outside the top four.

Rodgers said, under the circumstances, a top-four finish would be bigger for his team this season.

“There’s no doubt this season we have learned a lot and by the end of it I’ll be a better manager,” Rodgers said.

“If we arrive in the top four this year, with everything we have been through, it will be a greater achievement than last year. Absolutely.

“If you look at where we were last season, having one game a week and going so close, it was an incredible achievement, but making the top four this year would certainly be better.”

Chelsea and Manchester City, Liverpool’s opponents on Sunday, are almost guaranteed a top-four finish.

It means one of Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United will miss out, but Rodgers believes there is more pressure on the latter two than his team.

“We are full of confidence and hoping to finish the season strongly. But some big clubs are going to miss out on the top four,” he said.

“And I would say there is more pressure on Man United and Arsenal after where they have been for the last 15 to 20 years, than there is on us.”