Brendan Rodgers: Steven Gerrard is a "wonderful man"

Brendan Rodgers has come out in praise of Steven Gerrard after the Liverpool captain was left on the bench for the 1-0 win against Stoke City this afternoon.

The Premier League match at Anfield marked the sixteenth anniversary of 34-year-old Gerrard's Liverpool debut, though Rodgers explained that there is little room for sentiment when it comes to team selection.

"He's a wonderful man and he's very much about the team," he is quoted as saying by The Telegraph. "Of course every player wants to play every minute of every game but the reality is that at this level and how competitive the squad is we can't rely on Steven for every game.

"Steven is at the bit of his career when he is not going to be playing every game and every minute of every game. He played against Palace and was outstanding against Ludogorets.

"I need to look at each game and position the players in my team to get the right result. He came on and gave a great contribution with his experience. He's someone who is a team player and a great guy."

Rodgers was also full of praise for the players that he did select after they put on an "incredible" performance to end a five-match winless run.