Rodgers hails "first class" Carragher

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists veteran defender Jamie Carragher still has a vital role to play at Anfield.

Carragher has been a mainstay in the Reds side for a number of years but has had to settle for a role as a squad player under Rodgers to date. The centre-half started in the midweek Europa League defeat at the hands of Udinese but has been used as a substitute in Premier League games of late. There has been speculation Rodgers could seek to offload the 34-year-old in January but the Northern Irishman insists Carragher is a vital member of the Liverpool team. "This is a guy who rinses everything out of his life he possibly can. He never gets tired mentally, he demands high standards every day," Rodgers told the club's official website. "He's got a critical role for me - he's been absolutely first class since I came here. "He's played over 700 games for Liverpool - a monumental achievement - but now working with him every day I see why. "He's an incredible professional. He's 34 but his physicality and his body is incredible. He's as strong a player mentally as any I've ever come across. "Jamie has been a real breath of fresh air. People used to say Jamie Carragher just kicks the ball long but he can pass the ball as well as anybody. He's one of the best technical players I have."