Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes manager Brendan Rodgers will be happy with their fixtures schedule.

Rodgers' side will start next season with a home fixture against Stoke City on August 17 before travelling to Aston Villa and then hosting Manchester United at Anfield.

"They'll look at that Stoke game - Mark Hughes' first game as well, so they'll be desperate to get off to a good start - it's a good game for Liverpool. I'm sure they will be looking to get three points and hopefully use that as a platform to push on.

"The first five or six fixtures look a lot easier, on paper, than they were last season. Arsenal and Manchester City were the first two home games last year; obviously there's a big game in there with Manchester United, the third game.

"In the first couple of games, hopefully they can get three, four, maybe six points and get off to a good start.

"That's certainly what they need because Liverpool need to be doing a lot better in terms of challenging for the top four and getting back into the top four. They really need to make a good start."