Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has again declared he wants to keep Stewart Downing.

Rodgers is hopeful the 28-year-old can maintain his fine vein of form and continue to play an integral role for the team in the coming weeks and months.

"Over the last six or seven weeks, his consistency has been outstanding and he has been asked to play in a number of different positions," the manager told his pre-Stoke press conference.

"I was delighted for him because it was a top performance against Fulham. He scored a goal, he created a goal and he was a threat. He played really well against Aston Villa at full-back. He's at an age where he can be at the top of his game.

"He is an outstanding player and mentally, he is really in tune with the team and the work. When he is playing like he was at the weekend, there are not too many players who can play on the sides better than him.

"Hopefully he can continue with his form. He's still got a few years left on his contract here. We don't want him to go anywhere - all we have ever asked is that every player can be at the top of their game and be as good as they can possibly be.

"If he continues along the lines that he currently is, he'll be here for a number of years yet.

"Confidence is the key to everything and there's no doubt that his confidence levels are very high at the moment. But he knows that to maintain that he has to continue to work hard and keep doing things consistently well."