'Henderson showed great leadership'
Brendan Rodgers praised the attacking prowess of Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge after the pair each bagged a brace in Liverpool's thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea City on Sunday.
Supporters were treated to yet another goal-fest at Anfield, but this time there was to be no thrashing for the home crowd to savour.
Swansea refused to lay down in L4, particularly when Brendan Rodgers' side raced to a two-goal lead within 20 minutes of the match thanks to strikes from Sturridge and Henderson.
Jonjo Shelvey and Wilfried Bony hit back for the visitors, and when Sturridge nodded Liverpool's third, Bony responded by slotting a penalty moments after the interval.
However, Henderson had the final say, smashing the ball into the Kop net at the second time of asking to clinch the Reds' 12th win on home soil this season.
"Jordan showed great leadership today," said Rodgers told reporters after the game. "You could see him driving the team on.
"His first goal was an outstanding goal. We've been talking to him about getting up there [into the penalty area], because in training his finishing is sublime. He practises and he works at it.
"But what was really pleasing for me was his second goal. We've been telling him to get into the box and arrive in there, because he's got the energy and the legs to do that.
"The thing I always say to the midfield players, those advanced ones is, 'can you get inside the six-yard box?' People always talk about getting into the penalty area, and I always try and get them to get inside the six-yard box. And that's where his goal has come from.
"It was a terrific reaction save from Michel Vorm from his first effort on goal and then he's followed in and kept going and got his finish and that was a really important goal for us. He was outstanding today."
It took Sturridge just three minutes to open the scoring at Anfield as he found the net for an eighth consecutive match in the Barclays Premier League.
The England international rounded Vorm after latching onto Raheem Sterling's perfectly weighted pass to finish smartly in front of the Anfield Road end.
When he was called on to restore the Reds' advantage later in the match, he made no mistake, towering at the far post to power Luis Suarez's delicate cut-back beyond the 'keeper for 3-2.
"He's a natural goalscorer," said Rodgers. "[He showed] great pace and it was a wonderful pass from young Raheem for the first goal. It gave us a great start and it was a really good finish.
"His second one was an area of his game he's been looking to improve. It was a lovely ball from Luis and he's finished well with the header.
"He looks like he can score in every single game. He's got that ability, he's got the quality and thankfully he plays for us here, and has still got a lot of improving to do."
Swansea escaped the same fate as Everton and Arsenal, who were beaten by four-goal margins in the previous two Anfield fixtures, thanks to a combination of neat, fearless play and constant pressure in the match.
Rodgers admitted Liverpool lacked a touch of composure at both ends of the field at times on the day - and he praised Garry Monk's side for the manner in which they set up to play away from home.
"We had spells sporadically where we had the ball and made good combinations," said the manager. "I thought we were better when Joe Allen came on; I thought Joe was outstanding.
"I felt we needed to get hold of the ball and press it better, but we can't be perfect. It was one of those games where there was maybe a little bit of pressure. We were playing against a good side."