Mark Lawrenson Backs Brendan Rodgers to Win His First Silverware as Liverpool Manager

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes Brendan Rodgers has a very good chance of winning his first silverware as the Reds manager this season.

The Northern Irishman moved to Anfield in the summer of 2012 after having an impressive spell at Swansea City. Since joining the Merseyside club, Rodgers helped his side finish second in the league last season, which also saw them qualify for the Champions League this term.

The Anfield club are struggling in the league this season and are 12 points behind the league leaders, with 14 points in seventh place. However, Liverpool qualified for the last eight of the Capital One Cup after defeating Swansea 2-1 last month.

The Reds now face Bournemouth in the quarter finals and Lawrenson firmly believes his former club have a very good chance of winning the competition this season.

"After a difficult start to the season, Liverpool now have the smell of Wembley in their nostrils," Lawrenson told the Liverpool Echo.

"If you'd have said at the start of the season that a trip to Bournemouth stood in the way of a two-legged Capital One Cup semi-final, you'd have taken it, no matter how well the Championship side are playing at present."

"I've said before that the Reds have gone out far too meekly in cup competitions under Brendan Rodgers. And while the Capital One Cup was probably a distant fourth in the manager's list of priorities, it surely must have at least gained more importance."

"Rodgers has yet to win silverware at Anfield and they say the first trophy is always the hardest to win. And this is now a real chance of that," he added.

Meanwhile, Liverpool make a trip to Spain as they face Real Madrid in the Champions League clash on Tuesday evening. Lawrenson, the former Reds defender says getting a result at Santiago Bernabeu will be a major boost for the Premier League outfit when they face Chelsea later this weekend.

"It is amazing how much one result can change the mood around the club. And if we can get anything from the Bernabeu on Tuesday it will be a massive bonus. There's no chance of Liverpool going there and resting players ahead of the visit of Chelsea next weekend," the Anfield favourite said.

"Real Madrid will progress with a win. And then they may take the foot off the gas in their last two games, which could spell big trouble for the Reds. We just have to forget about the game at Anfield completely. That has gone."

"But the Reds have to be far tougher both physically and mentally than when losing against Basel and Real. That search for toughness will surely be reflected in Rodgers' team selection."

"At the very least, we must make ourselves difficult to beat and put ourselves in a position where we give ourselves a chance going into the second half of the match," Lawrenson concluded.