The Swansea City manager made 6 changes from the side that faced QPR on Boxing Day to the side that lined up two days later against Barnsley but he is not worried by those decisions insisting they are part and parcel of football in this day and age.

โ€œA lot of people may have seen it as being brave or taking a risk, but for me it was a case of managing theย games,โ€ he told the Western Mail

โ€œI saw on the television one of the pundits absolutely amazed that Arsene Wenger made eight changes.

โ€œBut you are thinking not just about the game, but the physical adaptation for the players.

โ€œThere are some players who just canโ€™t play two games in four days.

โ€œWe are trying to get the best performance levels and itโ€™s something you have to consider.

โ€œAgainst Barnsley, we felt it was the right thing to do and we got a great response and that allowed us to look at this next game with confidence.

โ€œThere is no-one running away with it,โ€ declared Rodgers on the divisionโ€™s shape-up at the turn of the year.

โ€œQPR have got a real squad, ยฃ1m players sitting on the bench, so they are strong.

โ€œCardiff have spent money and there are other clubs that will come into that bracket โ€“ but there is no-one like a Newcastle or West Brom who will run away with it.

โ€œWhen you look at the clubs who could come down next year then there could be big clubs with big budgets. So this might be the year to do it.โ€