Rodgers satisfied with Young Boys win

The Reds certainly raised their fair share of eyebrows following the 5-3 victory over Young Boys on Thursday evening, although Brendan Rodgers has moved to quickly praise his young team. The former Swansea boss opted for inexperience in the game against the Swiss outfit and following the success, he revealed that he couldn’t be happier.

It didn’t take long for the Reds to start their rout, with an own goal aiding them in just the fourth minute. The likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Andre Wisdom and Sebastian Coates all chipped in, although the game was by no means simple with Young Boys going ahead 3-2 at one point. Nevertheless, considering that the vast majority of the starting eleven were inexperienced, many have viewed the victory as a resounding success. The fact that the average age of the team was just 24, even though Jamie 34-year-old Jamie Carragher started the game, highlights how many young players were involved and speaks volumes about the success in the clash.

Following the win, Brendan Rodgers couldn’t hide his delight about his young stars. Speaking to the press, he said, “It was a chance for the young players to seize that opportunity to play and I think they did that. It is a night of great pride for the club and certainly me as a manager. To draw positives from tonight, the young players were so courageous and brave to play and show that confidence, and my senior players were very much together and kept the young guys going.”

Of course, while all of the young players will take the plaudits, there is no doubt that Jonjo Shelvey was the stand out player. After coming on as a substitute midway through the second half, the 20-year-old had a huge bearing on the final result as he scored twice in the late stages.