Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool are not feeling the pressure

Striker Daniel Sturridge unlikely to be risked at the weekend against Norwich City

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (right) and  his assistant Colin Pascoe watch Wednesday’s  Crystal Palace win over Everton at   Goodison Park. Photograph:  Chris Brunskill/Getty Images
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (right) and his assistant Colin Pascoe watch Wednesday’s Crystal Palace win over Everton at Goodison Park. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Brendan Rodgers insists there is no extra pressure on Liverpool despite their status as clear Premier League title favourites.

Last weekend's 3-2 win over Manchester City made it 10 league victories in a row for the Reds and left them two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table.

It also left City playing catch-up, and a win over Norwich on Sunday would move Liverpool nine points clear of City having played two games more.

Liverpool’s match against Chelsea at Anfield in 10 days’ time could well prove to be the title decider, but it is Rodgers’s side that has the momentum.

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The manager, though, was keen to project the message that nothing inside the club has changed.

Rodgers said: “We’ll deal with it the same as we have from the very first game of the season. There’s no added pressure than what we had then.

“We look to win the game at the weekend. We’re still in check with reality in terms of where we’re at.

"We've made great progress this season and our objective to qualify for the Champions League was always going to be a very difficult one because of the competitive nature of the league.

“But we’re still on course for that, and if we can get a win at the weekend then that would rubber stamp that for us.”

Liverpool will definitely be without midfielder Jordan Henderson, who begins a three-match suspension, and it seems likely Daniel Sturridge will join his England team-mate on the sidelines.

The striker had to come off against City with a hamstring problem, and Rodgers said: “He may struggle for the weekend. It’s not too serious, it’s not going to keep him out for too many weeks, but he may be a risk for the weekend. We’ll assess it more over the next couple of days.”

Sturridge expressed his frustration with the setback on Twitter, saying: “Pushing myself to get back ASAP! Fuming I’m injured but it’s life. Everything for a reason. God has his plan.”