STOKE STRIKER PETER COUCH: “It was an end-to-end-game, and one we are frustrated not to get anything from again. I thought we helped them out with a few sloppy errors. “To go 2-0 down and then come back showed tremendous character. It was a real shame the errors and a penalty that wasn’t cost us. “They are great going forward, but we can take a lot of plus points from the game. “Marc Wilson said he did not catch Raheem Sterling, and the linesman had a great view and did not give it.”
LIVERPOOL MANAGER BRENDAN RODGERS: “It was a brilliant win for us. We spoke briefly afterwards, we made mistakes without being cut open, we need to tidy that up. “But we were really exciting going forward. I said to the players at half-time it was a perfect away performance for 38 minutes.
I told them at half-time to go forward with a positive mind as we have the firepower. “I felt in the early part of the second half they were getting joy down our left side. Philippe Coutinho, who is an outstanding young player, had to be sacrificed for our team. “It was great for Daniel Sturridge [to score on his return]. His movement in such a short space for his goal was great. “Everyone around us won yesterday. We just have to control our own destiny.”
“I thought it [the penalty] was soft if I am being honest. I would call that a Spanish penalty, it is one where the attacker goes into the defender – who does not get the ball – and the contact puts him over. “If we get that wee bit of fortune, we will take it.”
STOKE CITY MANAGER MARK HUGES: “In terms of a performance from my guys, I thought we were excellent in terms of our determination. There were a lot of big performances, but we had situations that went against us. “We did not deal with the second goal as well as we should have done, as it was just a big, long ball. I know what group I have here and they showed great character to get back on level terms. “I felt if we could get our noses in front, it could have been a different game.
The penalty decision was key as it swung it back to them. “Raheem Sterling went down very easily in our opinion and the referee bought it. It was poor defending for the next two goals. “We caused a really good team problems, at times. We need to be better with our defending. We are an honest side who are getting better. We are trying to pass-and-move, and create chances.”
Written by Steve Milne – Leave me your thoughts below 🙂
