By PHIL THOMAS
BRENDAN RODGERS defended his team selection after losing away in Russia.
The Liverpool boss, who left all his big stars back home, said: “We just got punished for one mistake, otherwise the young players who were here did fantastically well. It would not have mattered if those others were here.”
Liverpool visit Chelsea on Sunday and Rodgers said: “I don’t think I should have brought the likes of Gerrard, not at all.
“We made a mistake and it cost us the game.”
Anzhi’s winner came when Sebastian Coates, 22, was caught out by Lacina Traore, who lobbed the on-rushing Brad Jones.
Rodgers added: “We are unfortunate not to get something from a really difficult place, but I’m proud of the performance.”
Yet the Kop chief admits there can be no margin for error when Young Boys come to Anfield in a fortnight, with a daunting trip to Udinese to finish their Group A campaign.
He declared: “The next one is a really big game for us now.”
