Brendan Rodgers predicts Liverpool will 'fly' after first home win

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he expects his side to “fly” once they have overcome the hurdle of securing their first home win of the season.

The Reds have won just two league matches at Anfield in 2012, the last coming against Chelsea in May.

So far they have taken one point from games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United which has contributed to a disappointing points tally of just six.

And Rodgers is grateful fans have not turned their frustrations on the team.

"When you look at the majority of our home games our performance level has been good and we've been unfortunate not to pick up a result," said the Northern Irishman. "Our biggest focus now is just to get some consistency in our results.

"The reality in 2012 is we have won two league games at Anfield and, on top of that, it is over a year since there has been back-to-back Premier League (home) wins (September 24 against Wolves was the exact date).

"Thankfully within the ground the supporters are fantastic, when you think of that record. If you came to Anfield and you see how supportive the fans are it is absolutely phenomenal really.

"The big drive and our only focus is looking to get consistency in our results and then we can move forward. It is up to us, there is only the group of players and ourselves who can change that.

"We have to focus on what we can control, go into the game with a clear, defined plan and if it's not working then be flexible in terms of looking to put that right.

"Once we get that result then hopefully we can fly from there. We really want to make our home ground a fortress."

Rodgers' former club Reading - a side against whom Liverpool have won just one of their last four meetings - are the visitors tomorrow.

For him there will be no extra motivation but that may not be the case for his players.

In last week's episode of the television documentary Being Liverpool, the manager was filmed before the opening day of the campaign showing his squad three envelopes, inside which he claimed he had written the names of three people he predicted would let down the team this season.

It is a tactic once used by Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United's first title success in 1993, the Scot later revealing the envelopes were empty.

Rodgers is keen to keep his players on their toes mentally and will employ similar methods throughout the season.

"You are always looking to motivate players and you find different ways of doing it," he said. "I think the players quite enjoyed it wanting to know whether they were in (the envelope) or not.

"I always search for ways to motivate them, especially with top players because top players like the challenge. My job is to provide motivation and managers and coaches do it in different ways."

Rodgers looks back on his time with the Royals fondly, even taking into account the six months from the summer of 2009 when he won just six of 23 games and departed before the year ended.

"Reading are an excellent club. I first went to them when I was 13 and they played a big part of my life," he added.

"I was fortunate to get the managerial job but it did not quite work out how I would have wished. But I learned from the experience and ultimately that will pave the way for me.

"It proved to be a difficult six months, especially with what I was trying to implement which was always going to need that bit of extra time.

"But I came away from that and learned from the experience and reflected upon it. It prepared me going forward and I was able to take those things into the rest of my career.

"It allowed me to be much more clinical in my work when I arrived at Swansea, and thankfully it's gone quite well from there."

PA