Liverpool face a FA Cup replay at Ewood Park after being held 0-0 by Blackburn Rovers today at Anfield. Rovers certainly had the better of the first half but Rodgers felt Matt Kilgallon should have been penalised for a foul on Adam Lallana.

There was a second incident after the break when substitute Mario Balotelli appeared to have his shirt pulled inside the area, but ultimately Rodgers had to concede his side were not at their incisive best.

"The last three months we have been in outstanding form and the physical and mental energy we put into games is at such a high level," he said.

"Today we just lacked that bit of sharpness physically. You want to try and grind your way through the game. We did that.

"There is a physical energy in how we play and it is natural sometimes there will be a little bit of cost and that affected the speed of our play.

"Give Blackburn credit. The defended well in a low block, really well, and put their bodies on the line and made it really difficult for us.

"I definitely thought we should have had one penalty. Adam Lallana got his body between the man and the ball and as he went to shoot he was knocked over.

"I thought that was a clear penalty. The others were debatable.

"We probably needed that bit of luck to get the game opened up."