LIVERPOOL -- Fabio Borini can find a way to revive his Liverpool career if he works hard enough, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.
The Italy striker started a Premier League match for the Reds for the first time in almost two years as they lost 3-1 at West Ham last Saturday.
Borini looked certain to leave Anfield during the summer, with Rodgers stating publicly in August that he would get more games elsewhere.
But the 23-year-old decided against a move to Sunderland after Liverpool agreed a 14 million-pound sale in July.
And Borini then rejected a move to QPR on transfer deadline day after a 10 million-pound deal had been set up by the Reds.
Borini did little at West Ham to suggest that he is about to become a Liverpool regular -- but Rodgers has refused to shut the door on him completely.
Liverpool's manager has worked extensively with the striker, having worked with him in the youth team at Chelsea and the Championship at Swansea before bringing him to Anfield from Roma for 10.5 million pounds in July 2012.
Rodgers said: "I know Fabio very well from our days working together when he was a youth team player at Chelsea. I know a lot about his qualities.
"I think I've shown in my time here as a coach and a manager that there's always an opportunity if you deliver on the field, and on the training field.
"Every player has that chance every single day. And then when they get that opportunity to play, they have to take it.
"So obviously for Fabio, he'll want to score goals and create goals. If he can do that, then that will always help the cause."
Borini scored 10 goals while on loan at Sunderland last season, but his time with Liverpool has been interrupted by injuries.
He may well return to the bench when Liverpool host Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night, with Rodgers confirming Rickie Lambert will make his first start for the club in attack.