Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has thrown down a challenge to his young players.

Rodgers, who has started 17-year-old winger Raheem Sterling in the last three games, admitted he will need to lean on a few more youngsters.

He said: "I've an inherent belief in young players.

"A young player will run through a barbed wire fence for you. An older player will look for a hole in the fence.

"Every manager always wants more players. But the reality is there needed to be a bit of surgery done on the squad.

"Some of the wages here were absolutely astronomical in terms of value and worth."