Gerrard: 'perfect' Rodgers deserves new Liverpool deal

LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard has told the club's owners to offer manager Brendan Rodgers a new contract "as soon as possible". With the Reds lying second in the Premier League table, four points behind Chelsea but with a game in hand, Gerrard believes Rodgers deserves to be rewarded for the way he's transformed the club.

After the disastrous years under Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, the 41-year-old Rodgers has put the smile back on the face of the Liverpool faithful since taking charge in 2012. Seventh last season in the Premier League, Liverpool are in contention to win their first title since 1990 and are almost certain to qualify for the Champions League, a feat they last achieved in 2009-10.

"I have been absolutely blown away by his sessions, his tactics and his maturity in the job and I am learning off him every single day," said Gerrard, still on a high after scoring twice in Sunday's 3-0 mauling of Manchester United at Old Trafford. "He has been a revelation. He keeps tweaking and tinkering with the formation and making little subtle changes to personnel and tactics, and it is coming off from week to week."

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Consequently, Gerrard believes Liverpool must act now to secure Rodgers' future or else risk losing him to another club. Rodgers signed a three year deal with Liverpool's owners, the Fenway Sports Group [FSG], in 2012 and they have an option to extend the contract for an additional year on the same terms and conditions. According to the Guardian FSG "must inform Rodgers by a specified date next season" whether they intend to exercise the clause in his contract but Gerrard says a new offer should be tabled as soon as possible.

"When players are in this situation with a year to go and you want to keep hold of them so desperately, then the club reacts really quickly and gets it sorted," said Gerrard. "For me, I think he deserves a very long contract here and he is perfect for this club."

And though Gerrard stopped short of telling FSG what their job is he made it clear he expects the American company to do the right thing by their manager.

"He has been fantastic for myself personally [and] I am sure the rest of the players would echo what I am saying," explained Gerrard. "I am absolutely delighted he is here and I just hope that there is a lot of movement now in Boston [where FSG is based] because they have got to get him signed up as soon as possible."