EPL: Liverpool manager Rodgers promises Sterling recall

Youngster rested before playing final half hour of Aston Villa defeat

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed Raheem Sterling will be restored to the starting line-up for their next match after he defended his decision to rest the youngster for the majority of a 1-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.

The Reds were unable to break down the defence of an organised Villa side that took an early lead thanks to Gabby Agbonlahor's close-range strike from a corner in the ninth minute.

Sterling, who played the full 90 minutes of England's recent Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland, was eventually introduced for the final half hour of Saturday's Premier League clash at Anfield.

The 19-year-old gave Liverpool more of an attacking threat when he came on for Adam Lallana but he was unable to get his side back into the game.

However, Rodgers insisted he was right to rest Sterling and revealed he will be back in the starting XI for Liverpool's Champions League match against Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield on Tuesday.

"It is a long, long season and it was an opportunity to give Sterling a break because he probably won't have many this season," said Rodgers.

"He will certainly play Tuesday night. But I said at the beginning of the season that I need to trust all the players we have.

"We've got a big couple of months – a really exciting couple of months – coming up. Looking at it, I felt this was a game we could do that. If he didn't have international football, it would have been a different case.

"He came on and was bright. He's going to be, and already is, a big player for us."

Rodgers acknowledged his side lacked quality required to undo the Villa defence in Sterling's absence but insisted he had faith in the other players at his disposal.

"As a team we probably didn't quite have the intensity in our game and the speed in our game," he explained.

"We've built a squad here and I trust all of the players. As a team and a squad, we just didn't deliver.

Costa's success rewards Chelsea

Jose Mourinho believes Diego Costa's scintillating start to his Chelsea career proves he was right to wait for the Spain striker.

Costa returned from a hamstring injury sustained on international duty to score a hat-trick in the Blues' 4-2 Premier League victory over Swansea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Chelsea now face Schalke at home in the Champions League on Wednesday with Mourinho hoping Costa provides a similar performance, although he is eager not to put too much pressure on the 25-year-old.

"If the team plays well he has to score goals," said Mourinho. "Seven goals in four Premier League matches is maybe too much; we cannot expect that after eight matches he has 14 goals.

"I think it is too much to ask but the way he is playing and the team is playing, if he keeps scoring a few goals, a few goals give points and points help the team to be in the top part of the table.”