Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling were picked out for praise by Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers on Sunday, after helping the Reds to a 5-3 win at Stoke City.
England striker Sturridge made his return to action after seven weeks on the sidelines with a cameo appearance from the bench to score one and set up another.
And Under-21s winger Sterling proved a thorn in Stoke’s side throughout, setting up their first goal in the early stages and then winning a controversial penalty in the second half to help Liverpool take a 3-2 lead.
Raheem Sterling in action for Liverpool.
The result saw Liverpool move back into the Premier League’s top four and Rodgers was delighted to see Sturridge back in action and resuming his impressive partnership with Luis Suarez.
"Daniel has pace and power on the counter-attack and both combined very well," said Rodgers.
"Both [Sturridge and Suarez] are outstanding talents - you can see that from their link-up for both Luis' second goal and Dan's movement for Luis to play him in [for the final goal] was exceptional in such a short space.
"Sturridge showed great skill and awareness to get up and have two touches to finish the game and to get the fifth goal here really shows that threat we have."
Rodgers also moved to defend Sterling, after claims from Stoke boss Mark Hughes that the 19-year-old was looking to deceive the officials when he tumbled under Marc Wilson’s tackle in the area.
Captain Steven Gerrard scored from the resulting spot-kick and Liverpool didn’t look back after that turning point.
"I don't think he's in that bracket [a diver],” added Rodgers.
“He is a fearsome competitor and he is not that type - goodness me he is a young boy who gets kicked left, right and centre and we got good fortune.
"He has had many decisions gone against him in his young career, ones where he has had dead-cert penalties.
"The defender doesn't make contact with the ball but does the man and Raheem is running at such speed.
"I don't think he has gone down easily. Contact was minimal but the pace he is going at puts him over."
