Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has jumped to the defence of underfire manager Brendan Rodgers.

Lawro wrote in the Liverpool Echo: "There was always going to be one Liverpool manager who had to cope with the loss of Steven Gerrard.

"But Brendan Rodgers had already been unfortunate enough to oversee the exit of another Scouse heartbeat in Jamie Carragher.

"Factor in the departure of his best player in Luis Suarez last summer, and that's been a lot for any boss to handle.

"Given all of that, it's perhaps about time we cut Rodgers some slack."