Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Brendan Rodgers needs time at Liverpool. Some are already starting to question whether the 39-year-old is the right man to occupy such a challenging role.

It reminds Ferguson of the position Andre Villas-Boas found himself in at Chelsea. And that did not end well for the Portuguese.

"Any young manager needs time but in the modern world you don't get a lot of that," said Ferguson. "Look at Villas-Boas at Chelsea last season. He was a young man who lasted about seven months.

"We're in an age where patience is not a realistic thing. It's just not there."