Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has applauded his side’s resilience in their 2-2 Premier League draw at Swansea on Tuesday.
Daniel Sturridge continued his terrific start to the season by becoming the first Liverpool player to score in each of the Reds’ opening four fixtures of a Premier League season when he equalised an early Jonjo Shelvy opener a minute after ‘The Kops’ fell behind.
Shelvy was undoubtedly the ‘man of the night’ as the England under-21 was involved in all four goals scored at the Liberty Stadium the same faithful night he opened his Swansea account against his former club.
“Jonjo Shelvey is an outstanding young player. Tonight is a part of his learning,” Rodgers said.
Victor Moses opened his Liverpool account on his debut and placed the Merseyside club in the ascendancy before Miguel Michu equalised for the Swans four minutes after the hour mark as both sides settled for a thrilling draw.
It was the first league match of the season were more than two goals have been scored in the first-half as both team came out and pressed for victory.
Shelvy got the Welsh side ahead in the third minute but Sturridge leveled for Liverpool with the swiftest of replies.
“I thought for the first 65 minutes we were very, very good with and without the ball. We had to show character after going behind so early,” added Liverpool’s Northern Irish boss.
“I thought we were terrific for 65 minutes. We scored two good goals, and in the last 25 minutes we had to show defensive resilience.
“This will be a really big point for us.”
Liverpool pulled ahead of the Welsh club when Shelvey tried to fizz an overly-ambitious cross-field pass which a positive Moses intercepted, Angel Rangel failed to get within five metres of the Nigerian, whose shot from the edge of the area beat a wrong-footed Michael Vorm at his near post.
“Victor Moses has always played really well here. I had a feeling for him tonight, he scored here last year for Chelsea.”
Shelvey later provided a second-half assist for Michu when his intelligently headed flick-on was turned into goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s net for a leveler.
“He knows he has things in his game that he needs to improve on, and he will only do that from playing. Tonight was a steep learning curve for him,” Rodgers added on Shelvey’s escapade.
Liverpool occupies the top of the log with ten points from four matches and travels and plays against Southampton at home next Saturday.
Luis Suarez is one match away from exhausting his ten-match suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic. He returns for the League Cup tie against Manchester United.
