Leicester vs. Liverpool: Nigel Pearson and Brendan Rodgers' Post-Match Reaction

A 3-1 win over Leicester City was the ideal way for Liverpool to begin their winter fixture list on Tuesday evening, shifting the Reds back into the top half of the Premier League.   

With their three points in tow, Brendan Rodgers' side now sit eighth in the standings and the manager was left feeling content with his team following their midweek display, per Tom Rostance and Marc Higginson of BBC Sport.

"It was a great victory, players were magnificent," Rodgers said. "We had to work very hard but our quality came through in the end. We should have won in Europe. Three good performances. I have big trust in the players. We needed to pick up the standard again."

The controversial decision was made to rest captain Steven Gerrard for Saturday's 1-0 win over Stoke City, the same day that marked the 16th anniversary of his first-team debut.

However, the veteran came back into the line-up at King Power Stadium and was among the scorers, leading Rodgers to clarify his leader's diminishing involvement in the starting XI.

"Steven Gerrard was rested last weekend with tonight in mind," Rodgers said. "When you rest a player people ask why. When you play them you are asked why aren't you resting them. The energy from being rested at the weekend gave him the energy to play tonight."

The Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter provides further quotes from the Reds' helmsman relating to Gerrard's prospects moving forward:

This was Leicester's ninth consecutive fixture without a win. The Foxes remain stuck to the bottom of the English top flight as a result of this most recent disappointment.

Nigel Pearson commented on a shouting match he had with a home supporter following the defeat, per BBC Sport, defending the players who he insists are giving their all despite the drop in morale:

"

I had a spat with a fan towards the end. I don't know what they are looking at at times. If they cannot see the players are having a proper go maybe they need to stay at home. The players are giving everything. I will always look for the positives. It is very easy for people to look at what we are not good at.

I don't like the commitment of my players being questioned. If they honestly think they are not committed, they are very wrong. Maybe that is why I stay in the stand.

"

Moving forward, last season's Championship winners may well be considered one of the favourites to see the drop, and Wes Morgan's second-half red card only further dampened their spirits in the face of defeat.

Pearson outlined the importance of competing in future fixtures but remains vigilant after this most recent result.

"We can ill-afford to play any game with anything less than 11 v 11. Their third goal knocked the stuffing out of us. We have quality and commitment," Pearson said. "We can't get downbeaten by tonight's result. We have to break the cycle we are in at the moment."

It's now been well over two months since the Foxes last tasted victory, and the club face a fight to get back to winning ways, facing Manchester City, West Ham and Tottenham in the coming weeks.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are in a buoyant vein of form and can head into Saturday's fixture against Sunderland with high hopes to continue their ascension up the English order.