Premier League: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers predicts strong end to season

Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool are well-placed to go on the kind of new year run that almost won them the title last season.

Saturday's win at Sunderland made it seven games unbeaten in all competitions, and the 1-0 success was achieved without two of last season's key men in Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge.

Sterling is due back from a warm-weather break ahead of next week's trip to Aston Villa, while Sturridge is in the final stages of his rehabilitation after more than four months out with calf and thigh injuries.

Rodgers also expects Adam Lallana back from a thigh injury around the end of January, and the Liverpool manager is hopeful his returning players can help maintain a push for a Champions League place.

He said: "I felt if we are going to get the best out of Raheem he is going to need a little bit of a rest and he will come back next week.

"The exciting thing is we have always been better in the second half of the season and that is the business end.

"We will get Raheem back fresh and Sturridge back fresh and we also have Adam Lallana to come back - so it is going the way I hoped it would."

Liverpool took 47 points from a possible 51 during an unbeaten 17-match sequence starting on New Year's Day last year, although they eventually finished two points behind champions Manchester City.