Shelvey shines as young Reds find range

Jonjo Shelvey came off the bench to win the game for Liverpool (Reuters)

Manager Brendan Rodgers hailed a performance full of character and – surprisingly – goals as Liverpool got their Europa League campaign off to a winning start with victory over Young Boys in Bern.

For only the fourth time in their history the Reds scored five in a European away tie, the last of which came against Finnish side Haka in a 2001 Champions League qualifier. Jonjo Shelvey, below, a 67th-minute substitute, stood out with two strikes, 19-year-old Andre Wisdom marked his senior debut with a header and Sebastian Coates and an Juhani Ojala own goal rounded off the scoring.

However, Liverpool looked fragile as they slipped from 2-1 up to 3-2 down after Ojala and Gonzalo Zarate had added to Nuzzolo's first-half equaliser.

With the first team having scored just nine goals in eight matches Rodgers' second-string, which included three debutants, found scoring much easier. "We have come away with a young team into a European game and I want to talk about the five goals we scored which were absolutely magnificent," said Rodgers.

"Of course we could have defended better and there is no question the three goals we gave away were disappointing. But to draw positives from tonight the young players were so courageous and brave to play and show that confidence, and my senior players were very much together and kept the young guys going.

"One of the most pleasing things was we were in front and then to go behind at this level can be difficult. But it shows you the togetherness of the group because you don't win games by that margin on quality alone, you need to have the personality and the determination and I think you have seen that in bucketloads tonight."

Rodgers also had praise for Shelvey, making his 45th appearance for the senior side, and predicted a bright future for the England Under-21 international. "He has been outstanding. He is still only 20 years of age and is developing and growing all the time and you saw his confidence when he came on."