• Premier League

Rodgers: Time not on our side

Brendan Rodgers admits the "tiring" Champions League is causing problems for Liverpool's Premier League preparations.

His team have suffered three defeats in their opening five Premier League matches and required a last-gasp Steven Gerrard penalty to beat Ludogorets on their return to Europe's elite club competition last week.

Following their 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, Rodgers conceded that Liverpool's training schedule is being hampered by the club's involvement in both domestic and European competitions.

More ridiculous than WWE

Diego Costa's behaviour suggests he may become a villain © Getty Images

• With barely believable storylines, pantomime villains and hero-to-zero moments, Alan Tyers says the Premier League has just revealed its stranger side.
• Click here to continue reading

"You've got a lot less time working," Rodgers said. "If you play on the Saturday, you've got Sunday/Monday for recovery.

"You've then got the Tuesday game and then the players who play are recovering Wednesday/Thursday. So you're doing your first tactical preparation on the Friday and then you're travelling straight down to the [next] game. It's a tiring competition."

Rodgers managed to mastermind only three Premier League victories after 11 European matches during the 2012-13 season when Liverpool were involved in the Europa League, but Raheem Sterling said there can be no excuses for the club's dip in form and Rodgers agreed.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce claimed his team benefited from Liverpool's European exploits on Saturday and he has told Rodgers he must needs to rotate his squad if last season's title challengers are to be contenders in the Premier League and Europe this term.

"For me it was good to see that for Liverpool there was most of the team that was out there on Tuesday," Allardyce, who won five out of seven league matches that followed UEFA Cup ties with Bolton, said. "And they had an unusually difficult game beating the opposition they had on Tuesday night.

"Maybe that left them a little jaded, who knows. But when you get into the game as quick as we did today, it really caught them by surprise.

"So you've got to have two teams. You've got to have one for Europe and one for the Premier League, particularly the game after."

Liverpool's recent slump has coincided with the absence of Daniel Sturridge, who was injured in training while on international duty with England.

The club also signed nine new players during the summer while the influential Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona for £75 million.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd