Saturday 8 November 2014 00:09, UK
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists his side have learned from last season's defeat to Chelsea ahead of Saturday’s match at Anfield.
Liverpool's title hopes were dealt a huge blow when Jose Mourinho's side won 2-0 at the same venue in April.
This offers us a great chance at home to get a great result and then hopefully that can kick-start the season for us.
Rodgers insists his team are ready for the challenge, despite their poor form which has seen them lose four league matches already this season.
"This is a new challenge and it will be a tough game," he said. "Chelsea were obviously strong last year and they have big experience in their squad and know the league and that helps them massively.
"Add to that the players who have come in, Diego Costa, one of Europe's top strikers, Cesc Fabregas, who knows the league and is a real creative force and add Eden Hazard to that who is one of the best young players in the world.
"This offers us a great chance at home to get a great result and then hopefully that can kick-start the season for us.
"We've had injuries and in patches we have shown the level of our game is okay but it is not consistent enough and we haven't scored as many goals as last season.”
Rodgers was criticised for resting star players including Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League at the Bernabeu.
One of the reasons we wanted to bring him in was because he was the right type of character.
But one of the recalled players, Kolo Toure, was praised for his display in marking Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Kolo was outstanding on the night and it is a great mark of his professionalism that he can come in and play as well as he did," said Rodgers.
"One of the reasons we wanted to bring him in was because he was the right type of character.
"He knew that he may not play as many games as he has done in the past but his influence off the field and his character is contagious.”
