Not since the first season of the Premier League back in 1992-93 have Liverpool conceded as many goals at this stage of the season, shedding 26 goals in 19 games.

It is just one of an unwanted record collection Rodgers has garnered since taking over at Anfield this summer.

Although there is no chance of him suffering the same fate as Roy Hodgson, the Northern Irishman needs a point from Loftus Road to avoid matching the record of 25 points from 20 games that cost the future England manager his job two years ago.

Rodgers, though, is not solely to blame for only QPR and Aston Villa having won fewer Premier League points than Liverpool during 2012.

For all his championing of youth, the manager admits the evidence at Stoke suggests his squad are in need of some more old heads to help ease the burden and help lead the way for his starlets.

That, though, does not sit easy with a transfer policy from Fenway Sports Group that, given the January moves for Daniel Sturridge and Tom Ince, remains focused on buying cheaper potential with possible resale value.

“The job for me is to educate us as a club to understand it’s going to take a mixture of both young players and senior players,” admits Rodgers.

“If you look at the top end of our pitch, Luis Suarez, who has been brilliant, has for most of the season, bless him, been surrounded by young players.

“They are up-and-coming young players, but those positions are the positions that make the difference.

“The number 10 role Jonjo (Shelvey) has played a lot in this year, and he is 20. Raheem (Sterling) is 17 just turned 18. Suso is 18. It’s a big ask for young players to carry that can.

“There’s no doubt they’d have gained a lot in terms of growth from this period, but for now we need that support to help us to push on.

“I’m all for young players, I want to develop them. But I also know as a manager that there needs to be the right mix and that will be important for us.”

Rodgers adds: “We've got young players who I'm not sure would get the opportunities at any other team in the Premier League. We have had to play them at one of the biggest clubs in the world. That will benefit us going forward.

“The biggest thing we will have gained over the first half of the season I think is hope. There's hope here with the players that we have.

“If we can add quality to that and a wee bit of experience that can set us up. The biggest thing of all for me will be hope. For me it's the most important attribute. If you have got hope then you have got a chance.”