• Premier League

Balotelli: I like Rodgers as a manager

Mario Balotelli has backed Brendan Rodgers - despite the tempestuous relationship between the striker and the Liverpool manager.

Balotelli has struggled for form since joining Liverpool from AC Milan for £16 million in August - the Italy international has scored twice for the club, but is yet to score in the Premier League this season.

And Rodgers became so exasperated with the striker's performances that he suggested in October the striker could be sold in January, just five months into a three-year deal.

Balotelli, though, insists he respects Rodgers, saying: "I like him as a manager."

'I hope someone twisted Totti's words'

• Mario Balotelli has told Francesco Totti he has no right to criticise him.
• Totti launched a scathing attack on Balotelli last Wednesday by declaring that he "doesn't listen to anyone".
• It follows previous criticism from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who once said the striker was "unmanageable".
• But Balotelli told Fox Sports: "I don't know how Francesco Totti can speak about me when he doesn't know me.
• "I want to believe that he didn't say that, and that someone twisted his words. But if he really did say that, I don't know how he can say that, when he doesn't know me as a person."
• On Mourinho, he added: "He likes to joke too much."

And he has also declared that he intends to stay at Liverpool for the long-term, even though he is already on his fourth major club.

He said: "I don't think I need to stabilise anything. I think I need to play and help this team to win. I hope I'm going to stay here for the time I need to improve and to become one of the best.

"The first time I heard the Liverpool song, it was nice. It's famous and I wanted to hear it. Journalists normally judge you by the number of goals you score. I haven't scored, but I just think that's unlucky.

"There is nothing in my life that is wrong. I train hard, I play, I run. I do everything. It's just that the goal has not come. I think that's just unlucky.

"I'm not going to think about it, because these things happen. I don't need people to believe in me. As long as I believe in myself, I don't need people to believe in me. I will score goals."

Balotelli believes that his form has actually improved since he left Manchester City for AC Milan in January 2013.

In an interview in 2012, he rated himself 6.5 out of 10, but feels that mark has gone up at Anfield because he runs more.

Asked what his mark would be now, he said: "Seven, because I run more than before. Goals, they will come. It's something that is just not coming at the moment.

"But I've never run like this before. That's something that I've added, so I give myself half a point more. I try to press more.

"For sure, I'm not pressing like Luis Suarez, because he's different. He runs a lot. I can't run like this. But I'm trying to run more than I normally do."

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