The Reds manager was impressed with how his new defensive acquisitions fared on their debuts as his side destroyed the Bundesliga outfit on Sunday
Brendan Rodgers hailed Liverpool debutants Dejan Lovren and Javier Manquillo after watching his side dismantle Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Lovren and Manquillo contributed to a hugely impressive display at Anfield as the Reds rounded off their pre-season preparations with a comprehensive 4-0 win over the Bundesliga giants.
Croatia international Lovren – signed from Southampton in July – enjoyed a debut to remember by scoring Liverpool’s second goal with a towering 14th-minute header.
Manquillo, fresh from confirmation of his loan from Atletico Madrid, looked assured at right-back before being substituted to a standing ovation late on.
“Dejan was perfect – he’s what I’ve been looking for since Jamie Carragher left,” Rodgers beamed to the press afterwards.
“He’s a dominant centre-half who goes and attacks the ball and reads the game incredibly well. [We also saw] his quality with the pass. Both sides, left foot, right foot. As we found out last year [when Lovren scored the winner for Southampton at Anfield in September 2013], he’s dominant in both boxes with the way he attacks it.
“And young Javi Manquillo was outstanding. He’s the type of full-back I like – he gets tight to people, can stop crosses but also has the energy to go and attack and get forward. I thought he was very, very good.”
Lovren and Manquillo represent two of Rodgers’ seven signings of a busy close-season but, while the former Swansea City boss is satisfied with the strength of his squad, he is still eyeing more arrivals before the end of the transfer window.
“Hopefully there are another one or two to come in,” he added.
One player who has been linked with a move away from Anfield in the wake of Lovren’s arrival is Daniel Agger, who did not feature against Dortmund, but Rodgers denies that his vice-captain is set for the exit door.
He insisted: “I’ve read some stories but we’ve had no enquiries about Dan. He’s still getting work done on his knee – we haven’t had any offers.”