Brendan Rodgers backs Steven Gerrard to handle Chelsea jibes

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is adamant that Steven Gerrard is strong enough to handle any taunts that come his way in Tuesday's League Cup visit of Chelsea.

Both sides square off in a first-leg semi-final clash at Anfield - the scene of Gerrard's infamous slip in a 2-0 Premier League defeat against the Blues toward the end of last season.

The Reds skipper has often been mocked by Chelsea fans as a result of his error, after Liverpool ended up missing out on the title by a point to Manchester City.

Jose Mourinho has recently called for supporters to respect Gerrard on Merseyside tomorrow, but Rodgers is convinced that the 34-year-old will deal with any potential jibes.

"I think Jose is probably talking out of respect for a player that is one of the best that this league has ever seen," he told reporters.

"I think sometimes the players get a wee bit of stick, maybe once or twice, but this was ongoing.

"I reiterate that Steven was a big part of the reason that we challenged for the title. It wasn't because of his slip that we lost it. He was a big part of why we nearly won it. But he's a strong character and knows how to cope with that, and has dealt with it all his career. He will have no problem dealing with it."

Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United will contest the other last-four clash.