Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has hit back at critics claiming that the Northern Irishman put out his "reserve" players to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Rodgers left the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Mario Balotelli on the bench at the Bernabeu.

Adam Lallana, Joe Allen, Lucas Leiva, Fabio Borini and Kolo Toure were among the players who came into the fold for the Reds' 1-0 defeat to the reigning European champions.

Some press in Spain described the starting XI as Liverpool's "reserves", while TV pundit Gary Lineker claimed that the team was "unbefitting" of a club of their stature.

"We had a gameplan against the best team in the world right now, to stay in the game, control," Rodgers said in this afternoon's press conference. "We then opened up the game with subs.

"I was proud of the players and the supporters, over 4,000 of them there giving the team a great backing. The criticism is unfair. To call Kolo Toure, Lucas Leiva or Adam Lallana a reserve? Those players deserve more praise than that."

On Saturday, Liverpool will take on league leaders Chelsea.