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Pressure on Brendan Rogders at Liverpool is unfair, says Paul Hayward

Brendan Rodgers
Image: Brendan Rodgers hit out over a perceived 'campaign' to oust him as manager.

The pressure on Brendan Rodgers is "unfair" and Liverpool's main problems lie in their recruitment strategy, journalist Paul Hayward told the Sunday Supplement.

Rodgers faced criticism following six games without a win prior to Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.

In his post-match press conference Rodgers claimed people "outside" of the club had a "campaign" to oust him as manager.

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The Daily Telegraph's Hayward believes that the focus should not be on Rodgers' management but on the way Liverpool deal with player recruitment.

"Recruitment has been their problem for well over a decade now," he told the Sunday Supplement

"Liverpool sell in the top echelon and buy in the middle echelon. If you compile a list of the big name players they've lost over the past few years and compare them to those brought in, you have a fundamental problem there because there is a disparity in quality.

"Rodgers started out with a big idea and it was impressive and worked and 16 months ago they nearly won the title.

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"Since then they've lost Suarez and Sterling. Rodgers have never been able to settle in the rhythm he wants to be in, improvising all the way through.

Raheem Sterling of Liverpool celebrates scoring the first goal against Manchester City with Luis Suarez
Image: Rodgers no longer has Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez to call on

"He's had to patch together formations and units in the team. It's been incredibly difficult for him given the fact most of the players they've brought are either sub-standard in terms of a title challenge or haven't lived up to expectations. 

"When you've got an influx of players that are not delivering for you, either through bad scouting or the player has failed psychologically, it's incredibly difficult for a manger to be challenging the top four clubs. I think the pressure on him is unfair. 

"I think he's a good manager, who needs the support of the club and most of all needs better recruitment."

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