B. Rodgers backs Liverpool to bounce back from the defeat to Aston Villa

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has praised his players for the way they have responded on the training ground following the defeat to Aston Villa. 

The Reds were beginning to show signs of momentum in the Premier League after a difficult start but were brought back down to earth with a 3-1 defeat at Anfield last weekend. 

However, Rodgers is confident his players have learned a valuable lesson and is expecting them to bounce back with a win against Fulham on Saturday evening. 

"What has come to Liverpool is realism and where we are at and it's been great for the mentality of the players," he said. "Our learning from it (the Villa defeat) was that no game is easy in this division. 

"The comfort with which we were playing and the opportunities we created in the first 25 minutes would maybe have made you thought we were going to get the result - it's very easily done. 

"It is great learning that you can't afford to (think like that), you have to keep pushing. 

"We now need to make sure the performances, our focus and concentration is very high no matter who the opponent and we get what we want from the games. 

"If you go into the game with any complacency or pre-conceived idea that it's going to be a stroll then you'll fall flat on your face. 

"The reaction of the players has been first class - their willingness to put it right and get three points this weekend is very high and I've seen that in training."

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Source: SkySports