• Premier League

Rodgers reveals Gerrard's training secrets

Steven Gerrard has played a key role in Liverpool's 100 per cent start this season © Getty Images

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has shed light on the intricate training regime that has kept Steven Gerrard in peak condition ahead of his 400th game as captain.

Gerrard, 33, has been influential in Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the new season with the club sitting top of the Premier League.

Having made just 24 and 28 appearances in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons respectively, Gerrard almost doubled those tallies in the last campaign with 46 run-outs for Liverpool.

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Gerrard is also still going strong as England captain, with plans for one last hurrah at the World Cup in Brazil next summer should Roy Hodgson's side qualify.

Now Rodgers has revealed just how Gerrard manages to continue to play such a key role for club and country.

"You need to analyse the person, what age he is at and the body type he is," said Rodgers. "One of the biggest things in our method of work is the recovery method.

"Stevie for example plays on the Saturday, recovers on the Sunday doing pulls, stretch and massage, on the Tuesday recovers further with maybe a light jog. It's a long load of low intensity recovery.

"You saw that before the international break when Stevie was fit enough to play Saturday, Tuesday (in the League Cup) and Sunday. We have individual plans for every player."

Rodgers is also content to let his captain put his feet up and miss out on training sessions before big games.

"The numbers have shown since we have come here that the methodology of our work physically, technically and tactically helps them on game day," said Rodgers.

"They have bought into that and it's something they enjoy. As a manager it's your job to orchestrate and oversee that, that's why when I came in here I needed to bring my own people in as they know exactly what I think in terms of the whole holistic approach to the players."

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