Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has refused to blame captain Steven Gerrard for the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Anfield this afternoon.

Demba Ba capitalised on an error from Gerrard late in the first half before racing through to slot the opening goal past Simon Mignolet.

Consequently, the Blues moved to within two points of Rodgers's men, while Manchester City closed the gap to three points by beating Crystal Palace.

However, Rodgers insists that the error from his skipper does not outweigh the positive impact that he has had on the team's title challenge thus far, describing the 33-year-old as "monumental".

"I just said to Steven there he's been a wonderful player for this club and is a massive part of why we are where we are," the Northern Irishman told BBC Sport.

"There's no blame to attack him. He'll be disappointed of course but he has been a monumental player and will continue to be."

The Reds face a trip to Selhurst Park next week for a clash with Palace.