Brendan Rodgers accuses Ashley Young of diving for Manchester United’s first goal

Brendan Rodgers has come under fire for Liverpool's bleak performance at United but he's come out swinging.

At United's players. The Liverpool boss has accused Ashley Young on buying the free kick in the second half that led to the home side's opener at Old Trafford. 'Pool fans are far from happy at Rodgers at present and pointing to a dive might not make his own case any stronger, but he could just have a point. Maybe. Maybe. "I thought, in the first half, we defended well but we had nowhere near enough quality or enough composure on the ball," Rodgers said after the game. "But, defensively, we weren't bothered too much. Any time we were frightened was by our own mistakes. "We're disappointed with a couple of the goals. I didn't think it was a free kick, I thought Ashley Young has bought the challenge." "I thought Nathaniel Clyne defended brilliantly all day and he just matched his (Young's) run and you can see both of them challenging for the ball with their arms and Ashley Young actually just jumps on his back. "We get a free kick against us and they work it quite well where they get the ball but I never thought it was a free kick. "The penalty: I think Herrera has done very well," the Liverpool manager continues. "Young Joe (Gomez) will learn as a defender in the box that you've got to stay on your feet. "We get back into the game with a brilliant goal from Christian (Benteke) and it looks like we're on the front foot and we concede a really disappointing third one. And then that kills it."