Norwich 2-3 Liverpool
Coach Rodgers talks after winning 11 straight:
“It was a brilliant win for us. “It was a really good game, tactically. We had to change a few times.
“Both teams started with a diamond. We looked at Neil [Adams] and how he’s been with his youth teams and analysed the shapes he’s played. They played a diamond last week at Fulham. We started with five midfield players to try and dominate centrally.
“In the first 15-20 minutes, we got our two goals and carried on through the first half. We showed great quality and were nerveless in our possession and control.
“Give credit to Norwich, they changed their shape to 4-2-3-1 in the second half. They got a goal that gave them and the crowd a little bit of momentum, and it was always going to be a tough game for us.
“We showed everything again. The quality of our play, positioning and movement in the first half was exceptional. In the second half – when we had to show character, determination and resilience – we had it in bundles.
“It was an incredible victory and big congratulations to the players because we can finish no lower than third, which guarantees Champions League football. A wonderful win.
“At the beginning of the season, I think everyone thought it would be a struggle for us to even get to fourth, so it shows the magnitude of the effort the players have put in, to have at least guaranteed that at this stage and have Champions League football at Anfield again next season.”
For us, it’s just concentrating on the performance level. We’ve got other goals. It’s now 96 goals we’ve scored this season in the Barclays Premier League.
“When I arrived 20 months ago, the team had 47, so it shows how the attacking set-up and mentality in the team has improved.
“We want to be one of the very few teams to reach 100-plus goals in a season, so we’ve still got other objectives. But we’ve cemented the first objective, which was to qualify for the Champions League. Now we will look forward to next weekend, which will be a great atmosphere at Anfield.”
“My players give me everything. It’s 11 wins now and it’s an incredible achievement. I know they give me everything and I can’t ask any more. They do their best and, for me, that’s what is important.”
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