Brendan Rodgers was confirmed as Liverpool manager on Friday © PA Photos Enlarge

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has echoed chairman Tom Werner's claim that Brendan Rodgers was always first choice to land the manager's job at Anfield.

Rodgers was confirmed as Liverpool manager at a press conference on Friday, having been elevated into the role following an impressive season at Swansea, who he led to an 11th-place finish in the Premier League.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez flew out to America for talks with Liverpool's owner, Fenway Sports Group, and at one point appeared in pole position to plant himself in the hotseat.

However, Werner and Gerrard are adamant that Rodgers, a former coach at Chelsea, was always the preferred candidate to take over from Kenny Dalglish, who was sacked last month.

"I'm excited, I'm really looking forward to working with Brendan," Gerrard said. "We shared a phone call last night and I'm really looking forward to meeting him in person and getting started.

"When he was in the running for the job, I was speaking to the Chelsea boys and some of the players who had worked with him as well. They all spoke highly of him, said he was a good coach and a good guy: very honest and supports his players very well. That's all you ask for as a player.

"What I can go on record and say is that Brendan was the first choice. I was in the loop all the way through the last few weeks with the Liverpool board and owners - and Brendan Rodgers was the first choice."

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