Echo: Rodgers off the mark at Anfield

The sense of relief around Anfield at the final whistle was palpable.

For the first time since May, Liverpool had taken maximum points on home turf but this was far too close for comfort.

The fact that supporters were left to endure such a nervy and tension-wracked finale was crazy.

The Reds should have been out of sight having comprehensively outclassed struggling Reading.

However, the script was all too familiar as a host of chances went begging and dominance went unrewarded. That profligacy in front of goal ensured that rather than being preoccupied merely with damage limitation, the Royals were able to launch an ultimately futile late push for a share of the spoils.

A narrow victory against a winless newly-promoted side felt decidedly underwhelming but it was significant nevertheless.

Having already allowed Manchester City, Manchester United and Stoke to depart with points they didn't deserve and failed to perform against Arsenal, this was the day when Liverpool finally stopped giving away gifts in L4.

For too long, the Reds have been a soft touch at Anfield. It's an issue Brendan Rodgers inherited and so many setbacks have drained confidence and created a psychological barrier.

A first home league win of his reign - secured at the end of the week when Liverpool announced plans to spend £150million on redeveloping the stadium - was an important milestone.

Rodgers is a long way short of his stated ambition to make a trip to Anfield "the longest 90 minutes of an opponent's life" but this is a start.

The fact that his side avoided another hard luck story was thanks to the brilliance of Raheem Sterling.

The 17-year-old winger made the match-winning contribution as he took his place behind Michael Owen as the second youngest goalscorer in the club's history.

Latching on to Luis Suarez's pass just before the half hour mark, Sterling showed great technique and composure as he took a touch to steady himself and fired past Alex McCarthy into the bottom corner.

The teenager's delight at opening his account for the Reds was clear and it was a special moment he will cherish forever.

Sterling has been a revelation this season. He's still learning his trade and Rodgers is desperate not to burden him with expectation but the way he has adapted to the demands of Premier League football has been remarkable.

Signed from QPR by Rafa Benitez, nurtured by the Reds' Academy staff and handed his first team bow by Kenny Dalglish, the credit for his emergence at Anfield must be shared.

However, it's under the guidance of Rodgers that Sterling's development has been rapid. Since being given his full debut in August, he's been ever present in the league with the manager's faith in him richly rewarded.

His pace and trickery down the flanks have lit up previous matches but on Saturday he also showcased an end product to his efforts.

It was the kind of clinical finish birthday boy Ian Rush, watching on from the directors box, would have been proud to call his own.

Sterling's work ethic and positional sense when Liverpool didn't have the ball was equally as impressive as his movement and link-up play with Suarez. The youngster ensured it was a torrid afternoon for right-back Shaun Cummings.

The margin of victory would have been considerably greater had Suarez not squandered a succession of opportunities.

The Uruguayan showed no signs of fatigue on his return from a gruelling World Cup qualifying double-header in South America as he tormented Reading's overworked back four and ran himself into the ground.

The support he got from Suso, Sterling and runners from midfield was much improved but rather than walking off with the matchball, Suarez only had a dead leg as a memento.

Fears that the dive he took against Stoke a fortnight earlier and the subsequent avalanche of criticism would further damage his chances of getting decisions off officials were realised.

When Roger East finally awarded him a free-kick late in the first half, there was an ironic standing ovation for the referee.
By half-time those cheers had turned to jeers with East having ignored Kaspars Gorkks' reckless challenge which left Suarez needing treatment on the pitch as both teams headed for the dressing room.

The opening 45 minutes had been one-way traffic as Reading sat back and challenged the Reds to break them down.

Suarez saw his chip narrowly clear the bar and Nuri Sahin blazed over after being picked out by Sterling before the breakthrough finally arrived in the 29th minute.

Glen Johnson is enjoying the best form of his Liverpool career and once again he was outstanding at left-back. Solid defensively and a menacing attacking threat, the England international stung McCarthy's palms after Suarez's 25-yarder had whistled just past the post.

Early in the second half the points should have been wrapped up but Sterling and then Suarez saw shots beaten away by the keeper.

Brad Jones, who was making his first Premier League start for Liverpool in place of the injured Pepe Reina, had been a spectator. But the Australian international came to the Reds' rescue with a vital save after substitute Gareth McCleary had burst on to Danny Guthrie's pass.

Reina is likely to be fit and earn a recall for next Sunday's derby at Goodison but there is now genuine competition for that jersey.

Jones didn't put a foot wrong and expertly kept out Jobi McAnuff's piledriver as Reading belatedly started to show some ambition.

Defensively, Liverpool were impressive en route to recording back to back league clean sheets for the first time since February.

The costly individual errors which blighted their early season progress appear to have been eradicated.

With the Reds finding goals so hard to come by, it's paramount that Rodgers' side are miserly at the back.

The contribution of Sterling and Suso may have been more eye-catching but the side's third teenager, Andre Wisdom, also shone.

The young right-back is growing in stature with every appearance.

The floodgates should have opened in the final half hour but some wasteful finishing in front of the Kop coupled with the heroics of McCarthy kept Reading interested.

Frustration in the stands transmitted to the players and it became predictably edgy.

There was a lack of control in the closing stages and as it got increasingly scrappy the end couldn't come soon enough.

Liverpool held on to experience some long overdue home comfort. With seven points out of the last nine on offer, Rodgers' side are on the rise, but how far they can climb over the coming months depends largely on their ability to develop a ruthless streak.

Source: Liverpool Echo