BRENDAN RODGERS believes his improving side will learn from their mistakes after being denied a thrilling victory at Manchester City – as he defended his team’s controversial equaliser.
Having fallen behind to Edin Dzeko’s opener, spectacular long-range goals from Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard put Rodgers’s side ahead until Sergio Aguero pounced on a Pepe Reina misjudgement to secure an unlikely 2-2 draw for the champions yesterday.
City were furious play was allowed to continue in the build-up to Sturridge’s equaliser after they demanded Edin Dzeko receive treatment following a strong challenge by Daniel Agger.
But both Rodgers and the goalscorer claimed referee Anthony Taylor told his men to continue with the game.
“There was no injury,” said Rodgers. “There was an incident in the second half when Daniel (Agger) put the ball straight out because Aguero was hurt.
“But this was quite clear. In the first incident, both bodies get tangled up. Dzeko thinks it is a foul but Agger did what good defenders do, he gets in front and tries to nick the ball.
“The referee told a couple of our players, Steen Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge, to play on, to keep the game flowing.
“But I think this all takes away from what was a brilliant finish by Daniel Sturridge.”
Sturridge, who is in danger of missing England’s friendly against Brazil on Wednesday after injuring his thigh, said: “It's not our job to kick the ball out. If the referee says kick it out, we do that. If the ref says play on, we play on.
“That's what the ref told us to do. We do exactly what he tells us to do, and we played on and scored. We were just abiding by what the ref told us to do.”
Liverpool were heading for a deserved win until Reina’s unwise charge from his line allowed Aguero to equalise from an acute angle 11 minutes from time.
