Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva can fill the void left by Steven Gerrard who is expected to be out injured for eight weeks.
“Steven is such an important player for us, but we have other players and dynamics in the team and they have to step up,” said Rodgers.
“Lucas has been excellent for us and he has forced his way into the Brazil side, so he has that quality and experience to step up and take the responsibility.
“Joe looks like he did when he first came here with his movement, his body work and fluency on the ball and that’s what we need right now.
“We have a number of small players on the field but if we have the ball and the other team hasn’t, I think they struggle with it.
“We need that mobility and constant movement in the midfield to get on the ball and knit the game together.”
