Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was adamant that he did not regret his team selection despite falling to a fifth Premier League defeat against table-topping Chelsea on Saturday.
Rodgers restored seven first-choice players to the team, dropping several of the stand-out players who had performed creditably in the makeshift side which lost to Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The decision to rest so many key players had led to much criticism of Rodgers, with accusations that he had belittled both the Champions League and the club's proud reputation in a competition they have won five times.
But Rodgers said he stood by the decision to leave out his main men and then to restore them, even though they once again under-performed as Liverpool slipped to a 2-1 defeat by Chelsea, a defeat which left them 15 points behind the leaders.
"I wouldn't have done anything differently at all," Rodgers told a news conference when asked whether, in hindsight, he would have selected the same teams against Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Yet audible displeasure from a section of Liverpool fans following the decision to substitute Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho hinted at growing dissatisfaction.
"Of course, the supporters are frustrated with the team losing three games on the spin and that is something they are not used to so I completely understand that," said Rodgers.
Much of the frustration among Liverpool supporters stems from the team's struggles in front of goal. They scored 101 goals in the Premier League last season but following the sale of Luis Suarez and the injury to Daniel Sturridge, they have only managed 14 goals in 11 league matches.
Rodgers did have encouraging news for the fans, however, saying he hoped to have Sturridge back in the starting line-up for the game at Crystal Palace in two weeks.
