Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he uses fear over his job prospects at Anfield to motivate himself to be at his best.

Rodgers has come under heavy scrutiny following a run of four Premier League games without a win, a loss of form which has seen his side nosedive into the bottom half of the table.

However, amid growing talk of former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp being lined up as a replacement, Rodgers says he will not be bowed by the pressure on him to get things right.

He told reporters: “It’s probably what drives a manager on, that fear. Positive fear.

“Every day you need to be at your best and when you come into here, into a club of this stature, that is always there. It doesn’t frighten me, I have an inherent belief in what I do.”

Having opened the new season with 1-0 wins over Stoke City and Bournemouth, the Merseysiders have since drawn 0-0 with Arsenal, been beaten 3-0 at home by West Ham and lost 3-1 at Manchester United, while last time out they could only manage a 1-1 Anfield draw with Norwich City.

Liverpool are available at 1.50 to win at home to Aston Villa on Saturday, with the draw 4.20, while the Reds can be backed at 3.75 to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season.

And Rodgers has an extra injury problem to deal with, with summer singing Roberto Firmino ruled out with a back problem, while Christian Benteke misses a meeting with his former club due to a hamstring injury.