Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted that his players "thoroughly deserved" their first home league win of the season as they beat Reading 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

Raheem Sterling scored the only goal of the game to help lift the Reds up to 11th in the table.

"It's brilliant for the players but we thoroughly deserved it," Rodgers told BBC Sport. "I thought in the first half we were particularly very good. In the last 20 minutes maybe we needed to manage the game better. It's a great day for the players and fans."

The Merseysiders return to Europa League action on Thursday night when they welcome Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.