Liverpool Defender Demands Rodgers Hands Him Regular Starting Berth

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger feels that he has earned the right to be a regular starter after finally being handed a chance in the side after a number of weeks stuck on the substitutes bench.

The Dane started the season in superb form as he helped Liverpool secure three consecutive 1-0 wins but then found himself out of favour after the club suffered their first league defeat of the season against Southampton.

Agger subsequently found himself on the bench for the games against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, West Brom and Arsenal before being given the chance to show what he can do against Fulham.

He helped the Merseyside club keep a clean sheet in the 4-0 win over Fulham and he feels that he deserves to be regularly picked by manager Brendan Rodgers.

"I have been waiting for this chance and, as I have said before, you have to take it when you get it," Agger told TV3+.

"I feel I have got the right to play, and of course I would have liked it to have come earlier. But in the end it is the coach who decides."

The 28-year-old still has more than two remaining on his current contract but has been gaining attention from a number of major European clubs.

Barcelona were interested in signing him in the summer but Agger revealed that Liverpool made it clear that they were not prepared to sell their long-serving centre-back.

"[The decision on Liverpool selling me to Barcelona] was up to the club. The club would not sell me, and it was so. We can always talk about that again later," explained Agger earlier this season.

"I do not know [if I'll leave Liverpool]. Right now I have two and a half years left on my contract, and I intend to fulfil my contract."

Rodgers dos have plenty of options at centre-back with Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho all seeking regular game time, while youngsters Tiago Ilori and Andre Wisdom will also want to show what they can do in the next few years.