Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is pleased with the 2-1 win over Sunderland last night at Anfield as his side move to second in the Premiership just one point behind Chelsea knowing that they must still play the Blues at Anfield.
Meanwhile Manchester City are in third place two points behind Liverpool but with two games in hand, and while Rodgers thinks that Liverpool are still third favorites to win the league he would not mind being proven wrong.
“I think people looked at us and thought we would tail off,” said Rodgers, who believes his team have what it takes to keep on winning.
“For us there is not the expectancy this year when you look at City, the squad they have and the money they’ve spent and Chelsea as well as they have been dominant over a number of years.
“The pressure will be there but the pressure is for ourselves. We are Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“We want to represent the club and be winners and we are on that path.
“I felt in the second part of this season we would be stronger because of the nature of our game.
“There were long spells that we were very good at that but as I said as the season goes on we will embrace that pressure and enjoy it
“We keep looking ahead of us, that’s always the mantra. We have to keep working well and stay calm.
“We are one point behind Chelsea and still have to play them here.
“But seven wins in a row is incredible at this level where teams are so competitive.”
Sunderland enjoyed a strong opening to the game despite being set up to defend for ninety minutes with Rodgers happy with the patience his side displayed for the first 40 minutes.
“We just had to be patient and let our quality show through,” he told Sky Sports.
“I thought our work rate and intensity was outstanding and obviously we scored two excellent goals.”
Sunderland manager Gus Poyets decision to play five at the back frustrated the Reds for long periods of time until the opening goal finally arrived from a Steven Gerrard free-kick.
“Teams will be like that near the end of the season, especially here at home,” he said.
“It’s an intimidating block but we just had to find the touches and combinations to work our way through.
“Obviously the first goal is important in any game, but especially here at Anfield.”
