Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken of his pleasure at Mario Balotelli’s performance against Hull City on Saturday.
The Italian striker has struggled to find his feet at Anfield since joining from AC Milan in the summer, having scored just one goal for the Merseyside club in his opening 11 games.
Despite a subdued performance against Real Madrid on Wednesday night and heavy pressure from the club’s fans and press, Balotelli remained in the Liverpool starting eleven against Hull and Rodgers was pleased with the Italian.
“It was a big chance and we had one or two of those in the game but we couldn’t quite put the ball in the net,” Rodgers told reporters.
“I thought he worked very well and very hard. He maybe thought he wasn’t going to play today but you’ve got to stay with it. You’ve seen he is working hard and at the moment he is doing his best.
“Unfortunately it’s that wee bit of confidence, sometimes when you don’t get that goal, that he might lack a little. But he kept going, kept getting into the [right] areas and I thought he and Rickie Lambert worked well when [Lambert] came on.
“I’m a little bit frustrated we didn’t win the game but performance-wise I’m happy and our reaction to the midweek game.”