Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool boss says nobody better to lead club

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says there is "nobody better" than him to lead the club and "very much" expects to be in charge at Anfield next season.

The Reds are fifth in the Premier League and lost to Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend.

Rodgers, 42, is the first Liverpool boss not to win a trophy inside three seasons in charge since the 1950s.

Asked if he expected to be manager next season, he replied: "Very much so, yes. I don't think there's anyone better."

He added: "That's the reality of how I see it. Three months ago I was a tactical genius, performing to a good level.

"We lost a couple of games, some important games, and now you're not so good. But that is football, that's what will happen, people will speculate."

Liverpool fans have seen their team make 24 appearances in an FA Cup semi-final - only Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton have played in more

Rodgers succeeded club legend Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2012 and guided the club to runners-up spot in the Premier League in his second season.

Outgoing Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has been linked with Rodgers' job, but the Northern Irishman says he is unaffected by the speculation.

"There will always be people linked with this job because it's such a great club," Rodgers added.

"In my time alone there have been lots of names mentioned.

"This is a club that's worldwide so there's absolutely no problem, it's something that happens all the time if you lose a couple of games.

"We've had former managers linked here with the job before and that will continue for however long I'm here - whether you're doing good, bad or indifferent."

Sterling and Ibe contract talks ongoing

"Their representatives are speaking to the club but no update on them," Rodgers said.

"The likes of Jordon Ibe and Raheem Sterling are very important players for us and the club are working very hard behind the scenes to make sure we sign these players.

"It's very important you nail them to the club and that they're here for the best part of their careers. Raheem's representatives will speak to club and we hope to get that sorted."

'We will bring in players in the summer'

"There was a lot of money spent last summer and a lot of players coming in. If you take the emotion out of last weekend, this was a team that probably overachieved last year," Rodgers explained.

"We brought in some players because we needed to improve the squad and where we sit now at this moment in time - fifth place, two cup semi-finals - it's probably on par with where we're at.

"The ambition is, of course, to be much greater than that so we have to be planning forward and that means bringing in players in the summer. That's something that's well under way and we'll look forward to that."