Friday, 14th March, 2014
Brendan Rodgers admits he has "great admiration" for Wayne Rooney, but is unwilling to be drawn into dubbing Sunday's Manchester United v Liverpool clash as a shootout between opposing strikeforces.
Manchester United boast Rooney and Robin van Persie, while Rodgers' Liverpool can lay claim to the Premier League's two highest goalscorers this season in Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez.
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Little wonder then that the Old Trafford clash is being seen as the ultimate battle of the striking partnerships.
Rodgers though is at pains to emphasise his team focus, even if he appreciates the benefits of having Sturridge and Suarez to put the finishing touches to good play.
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"I'm not too bothered [about the striking match-up], for me it's about our team", the Liverpool boss told a press conference.
"All four of those strikers have got great qualities.
"I've got great admiration for Wayne Rooney, he's been a top talent since he burst onto the scene and before that – and Van Persie probably won the league for them last season.
"[But] for us it will always be about the team. Those [Sturridge and Suarez] are the guys who finish off the great moves that we make."
Liverpool have scored 73 goals in the Premier League so far this season, making them the highest-scoring side.
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