Rodgers aims to exploit United loss

PREMIER LEAGUE: Fulham v Liverpool

Ferguson’s 27-year reign, which will end in retirement this summer, has delivered 13 league titles to Old Trafford.

Their success this season was their 20th, taking them further past Liverpool’s previous record of 18 and achieving the Scot’s primary aim all those years ago of “knocking Liverpool off their perch”.

But with Ferguson out of the picture and David Moyes, who as Everton manager failed to record a league victory at United, Anfield, Manchester City or Arsenal in 11 years, taking over there is a sense there may be a dip in the Red Devils’ success.

And while Rodgers, who takes his Liverpool side to London to face Fulham tomorrow, would not predict what effect Moyes would have he wants his side to be in a position to take advantage should United — or any of their closest rivals — experience a drop-off.

“It [United] has been a machine which has been working for over 25 years,” said the Reds boss. “It will take David time to go in and assess everything, but it is a club as stable as any in the world and it is ready-made for him.

“But [how they react to the change] is up to the rest of the clubs.

“I can only think of Liverpool — I’ve a big enough job here to get us moving on, but I think next year we can do that.

“My focus is to try to close the gap. We are bridging that gap slowly this year, but hopefully we will take a bigger stride next year.

“But the reality is very simple: we are 30 points behind the leaders and 12 points behind fourth place so we have a lot of work to do here.

“We don’t start the season aiming to finish fourth. The aim is always to win the title.

“A club of this status that is the ultimate objective — but you have to be realistic.”

Progress has been made in Rodgers’ first season in charge, but his team are still too inconsistent to sustain a top-four challenge.

He admits they were never likely to make the leap back into Champions League qualification immediately after his arrival but, having put in systems of play and ways of operating behind the scenes, he is more optimistic about next season.

Much will depend, however, on his success in the transfer market.

“I am very hopeful with what I have seen with the [current squad’s] mentality and it is our job in the summer to get the right types of characters to build that winning mentality and turn a lot of our draws into victories, which I believe will push us into the top four next year,” he added.

“It is where we want to be. The history of this club dictates that, but this season was about putting that base in place.

“I’ve seen development in the players, but we are here to win.

“Next year can be a big year for us if we can add the right type of mentalities to the group and make sure we become more consistent next year.”